Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving is postponed!
After another night of contractions, Jon and I headed to our 8:30 dr. appointment, this time to see Dr. K again, who is back in town. We were happy to report all my contractions since Monday, and the loss of my mucous plug yesterday afternoon (look it up if you really want to know), which to us were good signs of progress. However, upon examination, there was no progress. Pooh. I thought for sure something would have happened!
Because we're now about 41 weeks along, we had a very quick sonogram to check the amniotic fluid around the baby. Low amniotic fluid indicates that the placenta (which, as it turns out, has a shelf life) is no longer working 100%, and can cause distress to the baby, so they keep a close watch on it for past-term mamas. When the image came up on the screen, Jon and I immediately saw that things were different. The large black areas that had indicated pockets of amniotic fluid were gone! The last time we had a sonogram, the fluid measured at 13, and this time it measured at 3. Since I had not noticed any gushing or leaking, the only other explanation is that the placenta is no longer 100%. So...off to the monitor we went.
The monitor has two discs that are strapped onto my belly: one measures the baby's heart rate and the other measures contractions. We were supposed to be monitored for 20 minutes, but it was busy, and I think they forgot us. By the time someone came back to check on us, we were a little frazzled. Dr. K looked over the monitor readings and said the baby looked perfect. However, she was still concerned about the low amniotic fluid and felt it was best for us to go ahead and induce.
Today.
She sent us home with "get your bags together and eat whatever you want for lunch. Come back between 3 and 4." So that's what we're doing! When we go back, I get a medicine called Cervadil to help with effacement, then after a certain period of time (8 hours?) they'll start me on Pitocin. And Caleb should be born tomorrow!
So Thanksgiving is officially postponed until Friday evening. Jon and I (and Caleb) may get to be there for it or not, but at least the family won't be worrying about the casserole in the oven when I'm about to pop out a baby.
I'm nervous because I've never been in the hospital before. And I feel like I'm about to run the gauntlet of motherhood. Nine months of planning and reading, but nothing is like the real thing. And there are so many unknowns! How will I handle the pain? Will I need a C-section? Will things go smoothly or be a rush from one decision to the next? I know God is in control, and I know that you guys will be thinking about us and praying for us!
We'll try to keep you informed, and see you on the other side!
Because we're now about 41 weeks along, we had a very quick sonogram to check the amniotic fluid around the baby. Low amniotic fluid indicates that the placenta (which, as it turns out, has a shelf life) is no longer working 100%, and can cause distress to the baby, so they keep a close watch on it for past-term mamas. When the image came up on the screen, Jon and I immediately saw that things were different. The large black areas that had indicated pockets of amniotic fluid were gone! The last time we had a sonogram, the fluid measured at 13, and this time it measured at 3. Since I had not noticed any gushing or leaking, the only other explanation is that the placenta is no longer 100%. So...off to the monitor we went.
The monitor has two discs that are strapped onto my belly: one measures the baby's heart rate and the other measures contractions. We were supposed to be monitored for 20 minutes, but it was busy, and I think they forgot us. By the time someone came back to check on us, we were a little frazzled. Dr. K looked over the monitor readings and said the baby looked perfect. However, she was still concerned about the low amniotic fluid and felt it was best for us to go ahead and induce.
Today.
She sent us home with "get your bags together and eat whatever you want for lunch. Come back between 3 and 4." So that's what we're doing! When we go back, I get a medicine called Cervadil to help with effacement, then after a certain period of time (8 hours?) they'll start me on Pitocin. And Caleb should be born tomorrow!
So Thanksgiving is officially postponed until Friday evening. Jon and I (and Caleb) may get to be there for it or not, but at least the family won't be worrying about the casserole in the oven when I'm about to pop out a baby.
I'm nervous because I've never been in the hospital before. And I feel like I'm about to run the gauntlet of motherhood. Nine months of planning and reading, but nothing is like the real thing. And there are so many unknowns! How will I handle the pain? Will I need a C-section? Will things go smoothly or be a rush from one decision to the next? I know God is in control, and I know that you guys will be thinking about us and praying for us!
We'll try to keep you informed, and see you on the other side!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Update
Well, no baby yet. :) We've walked the neighborhood, Target and Michaels. When I stop, my contractions stop. When I go, they're about 6 minutes apart. Now my feet hurt!
My mom fed us yummy yummy gumbo tonight, and Jon's putting together a shelf for Caleb's room. We're just waiting! Everyone have a good night, and hopefully more news tomorrow!
My mom fed us yummy yummy gumbo tonight, and Jon's putting together a shelf for Caleb's room. We're just waiting! Everyone have a good night, and hopefully more news tomorrow!
Still here
We're still at home, and the contractions are still coming, though much slower than before. I stayed up until about 12:45 timing them and doing laundry. They were starting to hurt at that point, so laying down didn't feel good at all. I sat on my Pilates ball, and I would recommend! Quite comfy during contractions!
At 12:45 I was finally tired enough to lay down, I guess. Then I just checked my watch every once in awhile, but no more official timing. I was surprised when it was already 2am...and then 4:30...and then 6:15. I don't know if I slept through contractions, or they got really slow, but I do feel I got some rest. I stayed on the couch where I could move around or sit up if the contractions got bad. Jon stayed in bed, but would come out intermittently and get me more water and check on me. Early on, he was dreaming, and I heard him say, "I think I see something!" Then a long "ohh...." groan like he wished he hadn't seen what he just saw, and he needed to sit down. Haha! It made me laugh. He's going to do great in the delivery, I just know it!
He's taken off work today, my mom's on the road and I'm expecting her here pretty soon, and Jon and I are about to go for a walk to see if we can't start these contractions back up for real!
I've set up my phone so I can send updates from it if we head to the hospital...I'll try to keep you informed! Sadly, it's a work phone that won't let me send pictures (even though I can take them), but I can at least send text. Someone else may be the first to post a pic of our little Caleb. If so, I'll let you know where to go find it!
At 12:45 I was finally tired enough to lay down, I guess. Then I just checked my watch every once in awhile, but no more official timing. I was surprised when it was already 2am...and then 4:30...and then 6:15. I don't know if I slept through contractions, or they got really slow, but I do feel I got some rest. I stayed on the couch where I could move around or sit up if the contractions got bad. Jon stayed in bed, but would come out intermittently and get me more water and check on me. Early on, he was dreaming, and I heard him say, "I think I see something!" Then a long "ohh...." groan like he wished he hadn't seen what he just saw, and he needed to sit down. Haha! It made me laugh. He's going to do great in the delivery, I just know it!
He's taken off work today, my mom's on the road and I'm expecting her here pretty soon, and Jon and I are about to go for a walk to see if we can't start these contractions back up for real!
I've set up my phone so I can send updates from it if we head to the hospital...I'll try to keep you informed! Sadly, it's a work phone that won't let me send pictures (even though I can take them), but I can at least send text. Someone else may be the first to post a pic of our little Caleb. If so, I'll let you know where to go find it!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Contractions!
Well, contractions started at about 10:15 tonight! Crazy, huh??
I thought at first it was just Caleb stretching, because it didn't really hurt, but I felt a small dull pain at the very base of the uterus, which I can only assume is the cervix moving into position, which the doctor said only happens with contractions.
So, once I figured, "hey, this might be a contraction," I had Jon start timing. In about thirty minutes, we had contractions every 5 minutes or so, lasting 45 seconds. Wow! The doctor said to come in when they're 5 minutes apart for an hour, but surely she can't mean these contractions! They don't even hurt!
So, next on my list is to drink lots of water to see if that stops them. I did, and I've had two contractions since then...I haven't timed them, though, because I figure I won't really need to until they start to hurt. And now I'm about to go to bed, because I also figure I better get some sleep while I can, if these are really real!
I called my mom, who did not answer the phone, I might just say.... My dad eventually woke up and called me back. He wins the grandparent award for that one! :) Anyway, my mom is already planning on coming tomorrow, so she's doing the same as we are: going back to bed to see if she can get some sleep before things start to happen. After all, this may just be a false alarm (I mean seriously, aren't contractions supposed to hurt??), and then we'll all be nice and rested for whatever tomorrow brings us.
Ooh, now I'm excited! Let's see how much sleep I really get! I'll keep you posted if I can!
I thought at first it was just Caleb stretching, because it didn't really hurt, but I felt a small dull pain at the very base of the uterus, which I can only assume is the cervix moving into position, which the doctor said only happens with contractions.
So, once I figured, "hey, this might be a contraction," I had Jon start timing. In about thirty minutes, we had contractions every 5 minutes or so, lasting 45 seconds. Wow! The doctor said to come in when they're 5 minutes apart for an hour, but surely she can't mean these contractions! They don't even hurt!
So, next on my list is to drink lots of water to see if that stops them. I did, and I've had two contractions since then...I haven't timed them, though, because I figure I won't really need to until they start to hurt. And now I'm about to go to bed, because I also figure I better get some sleep while I can, if these are really real!
I called my mom, who did not answer the phone, I might just say.... My dad eventually woke up and called me back. He wins the grandparent award for that one! :) Anyway, my mom is already planning on coming tomorrow, so she's doing the same as we are: going back to bed to see if she can get some sleep before things start to happen. After all, this may just be a false alarm (I mean seriously, aren't contractions supposed to hurt??), and then we'll all be nice and rested for whatever tomorrow brings us.
Ooh, now I'm excited! Let's see how much sleep I really get! I'll keep you posted if I can!
Dr. Appointment
Another day, another appointment!
Here are the stats:
Weight: Still gained 0 lbs. Staying steady with a total of 26lbs
Uterus: 37cms
Blood pressure: 118/70
Caleb's heart rate: 130s bpm
And the big news: dilated to one centimeter and effaced 60%! Our first sign of progress!
My blood pressure is back to normal, which may indicate that work stress was truly the cause, or it may just be the result of being a complete bum for several days!
The doctor really doesn't like people to go beyond 41 weeks (which is Thanksgiving day), so she's scheduled an induction for Friday night. I'd go in that night for a medicine that will finish the effacement, and the next morning start on pitocin, which causes contractions. Then, I should have a baby by Saturday night! Induction is certainly not my first preference, and pitocin causes pretty rough contractions, so my hopes of going natural would probably not happen. So, if this baby could get a move on before then, that would be great! :)
And that's the report! My normal doctor is back in the office on Wendnesday, and we're scheduled to see her bright on Wednesday morning to check in and talk over the induction with her. Pray for more progress from now to then!
Here are the stats:
Weight: Still gained 0 lbs. Staying steady with a total of 26lbs
Uterus: 37cms
Blood pressure: 118/70
Caleb's heart rate: 130s bpm
And the big news: dilated to one centimeter and effaced 60%! Our first sign of progress!
My blood pressure is back to normal, which may indicate that work stress was truly the cause, or it may just be the result of being a complete bum for several days!
The doctor really doesn't like people to go beyond 41 weeks (which is Thanksgiving day), so she's scheduled an induction for Friday night. I'd go in that night for a medicine that will finish the effacement, and the next morning start on pitocin, which causes contractions. Then, I should have a baby by Saturday night! Induction is certainly not my first preference, and pitocin causes pretty rough contractions, so my hopes of going natural would probably not happen. So, if this baby could get a move on before then, that would be great! :)
And that's the report! My normal doctor is back in the office on Wendnesday, and we're scheduled to see her bright on Wednesday morning to check in and talk over the induction with her. Pray for more progress from now to then!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Forty Weeks!
Well, I've got quite a bit to update this week. First things first: no baby yet!
Let's see...after Monday's appointment and prescription for bed rest, I spent Tuesday frantically getting last-minute things together for work. I packed up my laptop and Jon shipped it off for me that evening. Let me tell you, I smiled as I erased my marker board of "to dos before baby." I put away all my work papers that cluttered my desk, and I could feel my blood pressure lower as I said goodbye to work for the next 6 weeks (at least). Jon asked me if I was sad to say goodbye, and I said, "Nope! I'm so relieved to be done!" And at this point, as far as we know, I'm going back to work after my maternity leave, so it's not like I'm saying goodbye for forever.
On Wednesday...well, let's just say I stink at bed rest! I was on the couch or the computer, I did a little bit of laundry (really, I just switched out one load), and generally realized by the end of the day that I was worrying Jon more than helping by not wanting to appear helpless. It turns out that the everyone but me is a champion bed rester around here.
Well, Jon was taking a much-deserved break from studying, but the cats...champion bed resters!
Thursday, KarenN was gracious enough to drive down to come to the dr. appointment with me, since Jon had to work. I was so glad she came! My blood pressure was still high, but not as high as it had been, and considering my one day of attempted bed rest, I figured that was okay. Then I went in to get my sonogram, and that took quite awhile. The sonographer was trying to determine if Caleb has a cleft lip or cleft palate, or if everything is fine. The problem was that Caleb has his nose pretty firmly smooshed into the placenta, so it looks asymmetrical, but we can't be definitive on whether that's the smoosh or a cleft. There was one shot that she took that seemed pretty good, that nothing was wrong. But then there were 5 more shots that indicated there might be a small cleft palate issue. So, at the end of the sonogram still had nothing definitive. However, if there is a cleft, it's probably minor. And we can't do anything about it until Caleb's born, anyway, so no reason to worry about it! But I will say I'll be checking his mouth before I count his toes!
After the dr. appointment, Karen and I ate lunch, then she made my Amish Friendship Bread for me, since I was supposed to be on bedrest. And flowers were delivered to my door!
It turns out Caleb already has a connection with his Grandma! After Karen left, I really did rest, and took a nice long nap. So I did much better!
Friday morning, Jon and I went to a chiropractor, which was a new experience for both of us. We went because I was concerned that now that I have high blood pressure, there would be more likelihood that the dr. would induce, and since Caleb has shown no signs of progression, the only way out for him is by C-section (induction would be fruitless). I asked a friend to check with her midwife about what to do, and her midwife suggested I check with a chiropractor to see if perhaps I was unaligned, not allowing the baby to drop as he should. Well, it just so happens that Holly has been going to a chiropractor recently, and not only had good success with it, but also had a voucher for half off! So I made an appointment, and off we went on Friday morning. The chiropractor could be a blog in and of itself, but in the end the dr. said my tailbone was pretty unaligned, and he got it back to about 98% correct (my legs had been different lengths by an inch, and after the adjustment they were back to normal!). So, though he didn't guarantee it would help the baby drop, he did say it might make a difference since I'd been so unaligned. I go back on Monday for a second adjustment, and I think it will be our last.
After our appointment, Leanna came to hang out for the day. Hooray! She made cake! With all these people coming over and making things for us, this is pretty great! We watched movies and did our best to stay rested. :) She also tried the acupressure points to start labor. Nothing happened, but we did it anyway.
This morning, I slept 'til 11:00!! I couldn't believe it! But then my stomach was upset and I was nauseated...which I hate, but is a sign that labor could be coming! So we got in gear and I folded laundry and Jon ran to Wal-Mart for some final things. Then he worked on his paper and I worked on photography...and nothing happened. After that bit in the morning, I felt better today than I have in a week, really! Which could also be a sign of impending labor...usually it comes out as energy for nesting, but maybe mine was redirected to photography because it needed to be done. We went for a small walk, just a couple times around the block, because I thought that when I started to walk around the house, I'd feel a little cramping, so maybe a walk would kick things in gear. But we didn't try too hard because really, the baby is coming soon, so no need to rush things! And nothing happened.
All in all, yesterday I felt there was no way this baby was coming until Thanksgiving, but today I feel like it could happen tonight. So maybe the chiropractor and the acupressure is actually working, or maybe it's just time...or maybe he won't be here 'til Thanksgiving! It's exciting however it happens!
BabyCenter estimates Caleb to be 7.5 pounds and 20 inches long...we shall see soon!
Let's see...after Monday's appointment and prescription for bed rest, I spent Tuesday frantically getting last-minute things together for work. I packed up my laptop and Jon shipped it off for me that evening. Let me tell you, I smiled as I erased my marker board of "to dos before baby." I put away all my work papers that cluttered my desk, and I could feel my blood pressure lower as I said goodbye to work for the next 6 weeks (at least). Jon asked me if I was sad to say goodbye, and I said, "Nope! I'm so relieved to be done!" And at this point, as far as we know, I'm going back to work after my maternity leave, so it's not like I'm saying goodbye for forever.
On Wednesday...well, let's just say I stink at bed rest! I was on the couch or the computer, I did a little bit of laundry (really, I just switched out one load), and generally realized by the end of the day that I was worrying Jon more than helping by not wanting to appear helpless. It turns out that the everyone but me is a champion bed rester around here.
Well, Jon was taking a much-deserved break from studying, but the cats...champion bed resters!Thursday, KarenN was gracious enough to drive down to come to the dr. appointment with me, since Jon had to work. I was so glad she came! My blood pressure was still high, but not as high as it had been, and considering my one day of attempted bed rest, I figured that was okay. Then I went in to get my sonogram, and that took quite awhile. The sonographer was trying to determine if Caleb has a cleft lip or cleft palate, or if everything is fine. The problem was that Caleb has his nose pretty firmly smooshed into the placenta, so it looks asymmetrical, but we can't be definitive on whether that's the smoosh or a cleft. There was one shot that she took that seemed pretty good, that nothing was wrong. But then there were 5 more shots that indicated there might be a small cleft palate issue. So, at the end of the sonogram still had nothing definitive. However, if there is a cleft, it's probably minor. And we can't do anything about it until Caleb's born, anyway, so no reason to worry about it! But I will say I'll be checking his mouth before I count his toes!
After the dr. appointment, Karen and I ate lunch, then she made my Amish Friendship Bread for me, since I was supposed to be on bedrest. And flowers were delivered to my door!
It turns out Caleb already has a connection with his Grandma! After Karen left, I really did rest, and took a nice long nap. So I did much better!
Friday morning, Jon and I went to a chiropractor, which was a new experience for both of us. We went because I was concerned that now that I have high blood pressure, there would be more likelihood that the dr. would induce, and since Caleb has shown no signs of progression, the only way out for him is by C-section (induction would be fruitless). I asked a friend to check with her midwife about what to do, and her midwife suggested I check with a chiropractor to see if perhaps I was unaligned, not allowing the baby to drop as he should. Well, it just so happens that Holly has been going to a chiropractor recently, and not only had good success with it, but also had a voucher for half off! So I made an appointment, and off we went on Friday morning. The chiropractor could be a blog in and of itself, but in the end the dr. said my tailbone was pretty unaligned, and he got it back to about 98% correct (my legs had been different lengths by an inch, and after the adjustment they were back to normal!). So, though he didn't guarantee it would help the baby drop, he did say it might make a difference since I'd been so unaligned. I go back on Monday for a second adjustment, and I think it will be our last.
After our appointment, Leanna came to hang out for the day. Hooray! She made cake! With all these people coming over and making things for us, this is pretty great! We watched movies and did our best to stay rested. :) She also tried the acupressure points to start labor. Nothing happened, but we did it anyway.
This morning, I slept 'til 11:00!! I couldn't believe it! But then my stomach was upset and I was nauseated...which I hate, but is a sign that labor could be coming! So we got in gear and I folded laundry and Jon ran to Wal-Mart for some final things. Then he worked on his paper and I worked on photography...and nothing happened. After that bit in the morning, I felt better today than I have in a week, really! Which could also be a sign of impending labor...usually it comes out as energy for nesting, but maybe mine was redirected to photography because it needed to be done. We went for a small walk, just a couple times around the block, because I thought that when I started to walk around the house, I'd feel a little cramping, so maybe a walk would kick things in gear. But we didn't try too hard because really, the baby is coming soon, so no need to rush things! And nothing happened.
All in all, yesterday I felt there was no way this baby was coming until Thanksgiving, but today I feel like it could happen tonight. So maybe the chiropractor and the acupressure is actually working, or maybe it's just time...or maybe he won't be here 'til Thanksgiving! It's exciting however it happens!
BabyCenter estimates Caleb to be 7.5 pounds and 20 inches long...we shall see soon!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Dr. Appointment
Today Jon and I got to meet Dr. P. She's very nice...a little awkward, but still informative and patient. She answered all our questions and took her time, which was good.
The appointment started out with the regular checks, so here they are:
Weight: Gained 0 lbs. Staying steady with a total of 26lbs!
Uterus: 33cms
Blood pressure: 137/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm
Were you paying attention? Have you been learning from my oh-so-informative baby blog? If so, you would have noticed that once again, my blood pressure is high. Once again, I was left to lay on my side for 20 minutes or so, but this time, it didn't have the same effect. My blood pressure did go down, but only to 120/90. 120 is fine, but 90 is not. And since this is the second week in a row, the doctor has officially put me on bedrest.
First, we had another sonogram to make sure Caleb was doing okay. The sonographer had to look for heart rate, breathing, a certain number of body movements, and amniotic fluid. All of those were fine, though Caleb wasn't too cooperative with moving. I promised her he'd had the hiccups and had been rolling around just before the appointment (and is as I write this, as a matter of fact), but she had to witness it. We finally caught his foot twitch a little, his hand move, and we could see his lips moving as if he were sucking on a paci. It was pretty cute, if I do say so myself.
So Caleb passed, and we went back to the room to wait. I'd like to mention here that I was not wearing pants at this point, but the thin blue sheet they give me at the beginning of each appointment. So yes, I was waltzing down the hallway wrapped in a sheet. I think OBGYNs live to humiliate women, but that's just my opinion. :)
Back in the room, Dr. P discussed the sonogram and said it looked good and Caleb seemed to be doing fine. She said the sonographer did have some concern about the formation of Caleb's palate, that it might have a bit of a cleft to it, but from the images, it looked like his nose was just jabberwocky because it was smooshed against the placenta. However, to make sure, we're getting another sonogram next time, and probably in 4D! The dr. was really not concerned, so we won't be either. But good grief, isn't it amazing the random things that come up!
Dr. P talked about the high blood pressure a little more. Basically, the only "cure" for it is to have the baby, but our baby is clearly still not ready to come out (that's right, still no dilation or effacement). Because of that, any medical induction methods we could try would not work. So that's why we have to do our best to keep the blood pressure low to wait for Caleb to get ready to come. If the BP gets a lot higher with still no signs of progression from Caleb, I'll have to have a C-section. However, this doctor, like Dr. K, said that anything could happen, so we'll just wait and see.
I have to go in on Thursday for my blood pressure check and sonogram, and I think I'll be going in twice a week for BP checks until Caleb comes. Dr P felt the same as Dr. K, that we probably wouldn't be seeing this baby until the week of Thanksgiving.
So bed rest for me! I'm going to do enough work tomorrow to pass off the things I've been working on, and then I'm done! As you know, work has been quite stressful lately, so while I'm not happy that it's apparently affected my pregnancy, I will be glad to say goodbye to it a little earlier than expected, and get a chance to be rested and relaxed before Caleb comes.
The appointment started out with the regular checks, so here they are:
Weight: Gained 0 lbs. Staying steady with a total of 26lbs!
Uterus: 33cms
Blood pressure: 137/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm
Were you paying attention? Have you been learning from my oh-so-informative baby blog? If so, you would have noticed that once again, my blood pressure is high. Once again, I was left to lay on my side for 20 minutes or so, but this time, it didn't have the same effect. My blood pressure did go down, but only to 120/90. 120 is fine, but 90 is not. And since this is the second week in a row, the doctor has officially put me on bedrest.
First, we had another sonogram to make sure Caleb was doing okay. The sonographer had to look for heart rate, breathing, a certain number of body movements, and amniotic fluid. All of those were fine, though Caleb wasn't too cooperative with moving. I promised her he'd had the hiccups and had been rolling around just before the appointment (and is as I write this, as a matter of fact), but she had to witness it. We finally caught his foot twitch a little, his hand move, and we could see his lips moving as if he were sucking on a paci. It was pretty cute, if I do say so myself.
So Caleb passed, and we went back to the room to wait. I'd like to mention here that I was not wearing pants at this point, but the thin blue sheet they give me at the beginning of each appointment. So yes, I was waltzing down the hallway wrapped in a sheet. I think OBGYNs live to humiliate women, but that's just my opinion. :)
Back in the room, Dr. P discussed the sonogram and said it looked good and Caleb seemed to be doing fine. She said the sonographer did have some concern about the formation of Caleb's palate, that it might have a bit of a cleft to it, but from the images, it looked like his nose was just jabberwocky because it was smooshed against the placenta. However, to make sure, we're getting another sonogram next time, and probably in 4D! The dr. was really not concerned, so we won't be either. But good grief, isn't it amazing the random things that come up!
Dr. P talked about the high blood pressure a little more. Basically, the only "cure" for it is to have the baby, but our baby is clearly still not ready to come out (that's right, still no dilation or effacement). Because of that, any medical induction methods we could try would not work. So that's why we have to do our best to keep the blood pressure low to wait for Caleb to get ready to come. If the BP gets a lot higher with still no signs of progression from Caleb, I'll have to have a C-section. However, this doctor, like Dr. K, said that anything could happen, so we'll just wait and see.
I have to go in on Thursday for my blood pressure check and sonogram, and I think I'll be going in twice a week for BP checks until Caleb comes. Dr P felt the same as Dr. K, that we probably wouldn't be seeing this baby until the week of Thanksgiving.
So bed rest for me! I'm going to do enough work tomorrow to pass off the things I've been working on, and then I'm done! As you know, work has been quite stressful lately, so while I'm not happy that it's apparently affected my pregnancy, I will be glad to say goodbye to it a little earlier than expected, and get a chance to be rested and relaxed before Caleb comes.
Today
Today I woke up with my hips hurting. They haven't done that in several months, and I'm pretty sure it's a sign that they're widening. Which means something is actually happening!!
Which, given the weekend I put in, makes a lot of sense! On Saturday, Jon and I roamed around the park with Sophie, our 2 1/2 year-old neighbor who LOVED the slide that required a whole obstacle course to get to, so I was up and down, up and down, helping Sophie up the ramp, through the chain bridge, and up the steps to the slide. Jon would catch her at the bottom and we would do it all over again. We had a blast, but my arms are sore today as if I'd been doing pushups!
After that, I had a maternity photo shoot with Leslie (who took my maternity shots) and her husband Sam, which was tons of fun, and we walked all over the Botanic Gardens. I came home that afternoon and told my mom (who was here for the weekend) that if this baby hadn't dropped yet, he never would! She studied my belly and said, "You know...I think he has dropped!" Hm...maybe wishful thinking, maybe not. I really can't tell!
But just in case, I spent another couple of hours yesterday doing a photo shoot in another park, this time with my favorite nephew, Ian! We had a blast, and Ian had the most fun on the swings! By the time my brother and his family left, I was pooped. I slept until dinner (which Holly brought over--you're the best neighbor ever!!), then worked on editing photos yesterday evening.
All in all, a busy but very fun weekend! And my mom helped me get my hospital bags packed, and we got up most of the family photos on the orange door in the nursery. I guess I need to take pictures of the nursery now, since it's all pretty much done!
And it was crazy to see my mom and my brother and family, and my grandparents this past week and say to all of them as they left, "Next time we see you, it'll be pretty exciting!!" And last night I talked to Leanna and went over how to get to the hospital (yes, I realize I need to send maps and info to family), phone numbers, and other stuff. It's like it's really happening!
Jon asked me if I was ready for the labor/delivery part. I'm really not thinking about it too much. Mostly I'm focusing on the after part, the part where I get to hold Caleb in my arms. :) Hopefully that will get me through the labor/delivery part!
This afternoon we meet Dr. P and find out if there's been any progress! More updates after that!
Which, given the weekend I put in, makes a lot of sense! On Saturday, Jon and I roamed around the park with Sophie, our 2 1/2 year-old neighbor who LOVED the slide that required a whole obstacle course to get to, so I was up and down, up and down, helping Sophie up the ramp, through the chain bridge, and up the steps to the slide. Jon would catch her at the bottom and we would do it all over again. We had a blast, but my arms are sore today as if I'd been doing pushups!
After that, I had a maternity photo shoot with Leslie (who took my maternity shots) and her husband Sam, which was tons of fun, and we walked all over the Botanic Gardens. I came home that afternoon and told my mom (who was here for the weekend) that if this baby hadn't dropped yet, he never would! She studied my belly and said, "You know...I think he has dropped!" Hm...maybe wishful thinking, maybe not. I really can't tell!
But just in case, I spent another couple of hours yesterday doing a photo shoot in another park, this time with my favorite nephew, Ian! We had a blast, and Ian had the most fun on the swings! By the time my brother and his family left, I was pooped. I slept until dinner (which Holly brought over--you're the best neighbor ever!!), then worked on editing photos yesterday evening.
All in all, a busy but very fun weekend! And my mom helped me get my hospital bags packed, and we got up most of the family photos on the orange door in the nursery. I guess I need to take pictures of the nursery now, since it's all pretty much done!
And it was crazy to see my mom and my brother and family, and my grandparents this past week and say to all of them as they left, "Next time we see you, it'll be pretty exciting!!" And last night I talked to Leanna and went over how to get to the hospital (yes, I realize I need to send maps and info to family), phone numbers, and other stuff. It's like it's really happening!
Jon asked me if I was ready for the labor/delivery part. I'm really not thinking about it too much. Mostly I'm focusing on the after part, the part where I get to hold Caleb in my arms. :) Hopefully that will get me through the labor/delivery part!
This afternoon we meet Dr. P and find out if there's been any progress! More updates after that!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thirty-Nine Weeks
Well I knew this day would come. One day it would have to. But I thought it might be more gradual. I didn't expect it to be so sudden.
I'm ready for this baby to be born!
One day I'm bee-bopping around, getting things done, moving a little awkwardly, but still pretty normally. Then the next day...bam! Every movement is slow, it hurts to roll over, it hurts to sit at my computer, I can't make it to the phone in less than three rings, and I'm worn out!
I feel like I dream all night long. I dream about nursing, about labor, about money, about my job. When the alarm goes off I'm grateful for the break! Last night I tried to clear my mind before bed with a bath. I thought it worked until my head hit the pillow, which triggered "Bekah suggested I bring lots of pillows to the hospital...I wonder if two is lots, or do I need four?"* And so it went for the rest of the night.
However, one thing I did NOT think about was the holidays! Thankfully, my mom and the rest of the family are planning those events, and this little newbie family just has to show up! So that's a nice relief. Maybe if I spent a good effort tonight packing my hospital bag, I would quit dreaming about that, too.
*Regarding pillows at the hospital, the hospital pillows are notoriously horrible, so every class we've been to has suggested we bring our own pillows, in colored pillowcases to differentiate them from the white hospital pillows. Because Jon will be sleeping on a pull-out couch not meant for a 6'4" guy, my friend Bekah suggested I bring more pillows to accommodate. However, a guy in our Lamaze class said that there's a chair in the room that's the same height as the couch, so that can be used to extend the length a little.
So these are the thoughts of a 39-week prego. Despite the things I haven't done, yet, I'm still ready. I'm ready to be done with work, I'm ready to focus on one thing for a bit, and I'm ready to meet our son! Do you think he'll be a laid back little boy? Will he be fussy? Do you think he'll come out red and hairy like Esau? Do you think he'll be an animal lover? That Bonnie and Clyde will love our baby? Do you think Caleb will love the stars? Keep his nose in a book? Fight imaginary dragons? Take up photography or the study of military history like his parents? I'm excited to find these things out, and in all of it, I pray that Caleb will love the Lord and follow after Him courageously through his life.
So how is Caleb this week? BabyCenter says he's about 20 inches long and a little over 7 lbs. Based on Monday's sonogram, I'd say that was pretty close. He still wiggles around and stretches his legs. Occasionally he gets the hiccups, but not that often any more. He still seems pretty content to stay where he is, and I suppose for the most part I'm okay with that! I have plenty to keep me busy at work and with photography, and though I've complained about work quite a bit lately, it's certainly been a good distraction for these final weeks!
I'm ready for this baby to be born!
One day I'm bee-bopping around, getting things done, moving a little awkwardly, but still pretty normally. Then the next day...bam! Every movement is slow, it hurts to roll over, it hurts to sit at my computer, I can't make it to the phone in less than three rings, and I'm worn out!
I feel like I dream all night long. I dream about nursing, about labor, about money, about my job. When the alarm goes off I'm grateful for the break! Last night I tried to clear my mind before bed with a bath. I thought it worked until my head hit the pillow, which triggered "Bekah suggested I bring lots of pillows to the hospital...I wonder if two is lots, or do I need four?"* And so it went for the rest of the night.
However, one thing I did NOT think about was the holidays! Thankfully, my mom and the rest of the family are planning those events, and this little newbie family just has to show up! So that's a nice relief. Maybe if I spent a good effort tonight packing my hospital bag, I would quit dreaming about that, too.
*Regarding pillows at the hospital, the hospital pillows are notoriously horrible, so every class we've been to has suggested we bring our own pillows, in colored pillowcases to differentiate them from the white hospital pillows. Because Jon will be sleeping on a pull-out couch not meant for a 6'4" guy, my friend Bekah suggested I bring more pillows to accommodate. However, a guy in our Lamaze class said that there's a chair in the room that's the same height as the couch, so that can be used to extend the length a little.
So these are the thoughts of a 39-week prego. Despite the things I haven't done, yet, I'm still ready. I'm ready to be done with work, I'm ready to focus on one thing for a bit, and I'm ready to meet our son! Do you think he'll be a laid back little boy? Will he be fussy? Do you think he'll come out red and hairy like Esau? Do you think he'll be an animal lover? That Bonnie and Clyde will love our baby? Do you think Caleb will love the stars? Keep his nose in a book? Fight imaginary dragons? Take up photography or the study of military history like his parents? I'm excited to find these things out, and in all of it, I pray that Caleb will love the Lord and follow after Him courageously through his life.
So how is Caleb this week? BabyCenter says he's about 20 inches long and a little over 7 lbs. Based on Monday's sonogram, I'd say that was pretty close. He still wiggles around and stretches his legs. Occasionally he gets the hiccups, but not that often any more. He still seems pretty content to stay where he is, and I suppose for the most part I'm okay with that! I have plenty to keep me busy at work and with photography, and though I've complained about work quite a bit lately, it's certainly been a good distraction for these final weeks!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Dr. Appointment
Another week, another appointment!
Today's was more eventful than most, though, so more to report. Woohoo!
First, we had a sonogram to check on Caleb's growth. He's growing just fine, but slower than the average baby. In the past two weeks, and average baby would have grown 1 pound (8 ounces a week), but Caleb has only grown 11 ounces. They're estimating he's 6lbs 14oz right now. His amniotic fluid is very good (they don't want it to get too low), and the placenta is also in very good shape (did you know the placenta actually gets old and starts to break down? that's one reason doctors don't like overdue babies.). So overall, nothing to worry about at all. Again, he's still kicking and rocking, which is a very good indicator.
One funny note is that the sonographer noted that yep, we were still having a boy. She said that last time, but Jon missed seeing it before she moved on to something else. So this time I said, "Wait, make sure Jon gets a chance to see!" I was just joking mostly, but not only did she hold that spot for awhile, she zoomed in and printed a picture! So now we have a nice pic of our little boy. And no, I think I'll keep that one off the blog.
After the sono, it was back to the waiting room for us. A nurse friend of mine had suggested we go visit the nurses in Labor & Delivery. The doctor's office is in the hospital, just down the hall from L/D, so Jon and I decided to use our wait time to do just that. I felt a little funny walking in there, but I'm so glad we went. As we walked up, a nurse immediately asked if she could help us. I realize now that a pregnant lady walking into L/D is usually a sign that they're about to check in a new patient, but at the time I thought it was great service! Anyway, we ended up talking with her for a bit.
We had our birth plan with us (to go over with Dr. K), so she asked to see it and we went over it with her. She seemed very open to most of our requests, with a few flags being a hep lock (where they put in an IV port in case it's needed, but don't actually hook an IV up), food consumption, and nipple stimulation. She said a hep lock can sometimes close up, so she'd recommend the full IV, and food was okay if I'd had a natural delivery before and knew I could do it, but otherwise, in case I got an epidural, she wouldn't allow it. Nipple stimulation is a natural way to speed up labor (and avoid pitocin), and I really wouldn't mention it except for our conversation with Dr. K later (keep reading). The nurse said it was fine, as long as we let the nurses know first. She was also very firm about only two people being there at the delivery. We'll see if we can warm her up on that one with some homemade bread or something. :)
She said the shift changes every twelve hours at 7 o'clock (handy to know so we don't show up right at shift change), and there are lots of different nurses on rotation, so we'll likely see all different people than the ladies we saw there this afternoon. She gave us the phone number to the nurse's station and suggested we give them a call when we're on the way, so they can keep a nurse on that might have gone home because it was a slow day or something. So that was neat. All in all, she seemed very nice and accomodating, and I hope the other nurses are similar.
Back to the waiting room.....
Finally our name is called, and here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 1lb. Total of 26lbs.
Uterus: 35cms
Blood pressure: 131/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm
If you're paying attention, you'll notice that my blood pressure is high! For the first time, I failed! Well, the nurse had me lay on my left side for 10-15 minutes, and she retook it, and it was back to normal: 117/82. So that whole left side thing really works! As for why it was high, I don't really know. I hadn't had much water today, I had caffeine, and we didn't wait in the waiting room so long that I had fallen asleep. Any of those could be factors, I suppose.
Dr. K did the pelvis check, and there's still no development in regards to dilation and effacement. She'll be gone next week, so we're meeting with Dr. P. I asked if Dr. P would make any decisions, such as to go ahead and induce or something. She said, no probably not, though she might set a future date for induction. She checked her calendar quickly and said maybe somewhere around December 1st. But she said that really, we didn't need to have that conversation until we saw her (Dr. K) on the 26th. She understands our desire for a natural delivery and for things happening on their own, so she actually never used the word "induction," but only said, "We'll have to talk about doing something." So maybe that week before would be a good time to get a pedicure and foot massage to trigger those points that supposedly start labor!
We went over our birth plan with Dr. K. Again, I was amazed and thankful that we have such a great doctor. I know I don't have anything to compare to, but I really didn't expect her to go over each piece with us, offer her own advice and explanation, and even give us some tips on how to talk to the nurses, who can tend to be anti-natural. She specifically brought up the hep lock/IV choice, and said there are many nurses who walk into your room right after you've checked in with an IV bag and pole, ready to hook you up. She said that's unecessary, and the best thing to do is to say, "Dr. K requested that we not have an IV until we're ready for pain medication." That way, they get the satisfaction of knowing we'll get it eventually (if I don't make it natural), and it holds them off "for a little while," Dr. K says. The worst thing to do is tell them straight up that you don't want an IV, because it just starts things off on the wrong foot, and you really want your nurse to like you.
She also mentioned the food issue, and basically said not to eat something that you wouldn't mind seeing later, because around 3 of 4 centimeters dilated, lots of women tend to throw up. I told her I figured I'd only eat things I would eat if I had the stomach flu (clear liquids, bland foods), and she said that would probably be fine. Now regarding nipple stimulation (I told you it would come up again), she said that it was fine as long as I'm on the monitor at the time, and to under no circumstances tell the nurses! She said the monitor was important because it could actually cause the baby's heartbeat to change, and if it did, and the nurse comes running in, just say, "I don't know what happened! I was just scratching an itch, and all of the sudden THIS happened!" Ah....labor humor...I love it.
But I thought it was especially interesting how the nurse brought up these three issues--IV, food, and natural labor stimulation--and Dr. K also (without our prodding) brought up the same issues. She said there's one nurse named Joyce who is the most encouraging nurse when it comes to natural labor/delivery, and will do everything she can to help you meet your goal. So if y'all want to pray for Joyce to be on duty, that would be fine with me!
Dr. K said she would be in and out of the room periodically while I'm in labor, assuming she's around when I'm delivering. I was a little surprised, because I just expected her to show up at the end. She said she used to hang around a lot more, but she values her sleep more these days. I guess I can respect that. :)
I asked about an Arbonne cream I'm trying as an experiment to lessen the swelling in my ankles. She gave her usual response, "As long as you don't drink it or inject it, it's fine." So we'll see how it goes. If it works, I'll report!
And that, my friends, was the appointment! Very informative, for sure! Everyone, from the sonographer to the nurse to the doctor, was a fountain of information today. And I've just passed it on to you and you didn't even have to pay a copay. How's that for service!
Today's was more eventful than most, though, so more to report. Woohoo!
First, we had a sonogram to check on Caleb's growth. He's growing just fine, but slower than the average baby. In the past two weeks, and average baby would have grown 1 pound (8 ounces a week), but Caleb has only grown 11 ounces. They're estimating he's 6lbs 14oz right now. His amniotic fluid is very good (they don't want it to get too low), and the placenta is also in very good shape (did you know the placenta actually gets old and starts to break down? that's one reason doctors don't like overdue babies.). So overall, nothing to worry about at all. Again, he's still kicking and rocking, which is a very good indicator.
One funny note is that the sonographer noted that yep, we were still having a boy. She said that last time, but Jon missed seeing it before she moved on to something else. So this time I said, "Wait, make sure Jon gets a chance to see!" I was just joking mostly, but not only did she hold that spot for awhile, she zoomed in and printed a picture! So now we have a nice pic of our little boy. And no, I think I'll keep that one off the blog.
After the sono, it was back to the waiting room for us. A nurse friend of mine had suggested we go visit the nurses in Labor & Delivery. The doctor's office is in the hospital, just down the hall from L/D, so Jon and I decided to use our wait time to do just that. I felt a little funny walking in there, but I'm so glad we went. As we walked up, a nurse immediately asked if she could help us. I realize now that a pregnant lady walking into L/D is usually a sign that they're about to check in a new patient, but at the time I thought it was great service! Anyway, we ended up talking with her for a bit.
We had our birth plan with us (to go over with Dr. K), so she asked to see it and we went over it with her. She seemed very open to most of our requests, with a few flags being a hep lock (where they put in an IV port in case it's needed, but don't actually hook an IV up), food consumption, and nipple stimulation. She said a hep lock can sometimes close up, so she'd recommend the full IV, and food was okay if I'd had a natural delivery before and knew I could do it, but otherwise, in case I got an epidural, she wouldn't allow it. Nipple stimulation is a natural way to speed up labor (and avoid pitocin), and I really wouldn't mention it except for our conversation with Dr. K later (keep reading). The nurse said it was fine, as long as we let the nurses know first. She was also very firm about only two people being there at the delivery. We'll see if we can warm her up on that one with some homemade bread or something. :)
She said the shift changes every twelve hours at 7 o'clock (handy to know so we don't show up right at shift change), and there are lots of different nurses on rotation, so we'll likely see all different people than the ladies we saw there this afternoon. She gave us the phone number to the nurse's station and suggested we give them a call when we're on the way, so they can keep a nurse on that might have gone home because it was a slow day or something. So that was neat. All in all, she seemed very nice and accomodating, and I hope the other nurses are similar.
Back to the waiting room.....
Finally our name is called, and here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 1lb. Total of 26lbs.
Uterus: 35cms
Blood pressure: 131/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm
If you're paying attention, you'll notice that my blood pressure is high! For the first time, I failed! Well, the nurse had me lay on my left side for 10-15 minutes, and she retook it, and it was back to normal: 117/82. So that whole left side thing really works! As for why it was high, I don't really know. I hadn't had much water today, I had caffeine, and we didn't wait in the waiting room so long that I had fallen asleep. Any of those could be factors, I suppose.
Dr. K did the pelvis check, and there's still no development in regards to dilation and effacement. She'll be gone next week, so we're meeting with Dr. P. I asked if Dr. P would make any decisions, such as to go ahead and induce or something. She said, no probably not, though she might set a future date for induction. She checked her calendar quickly and said maybe somewhere around December 1st. But she said that really, we didn't need to have that conversation until we saw her (Dr. K) on the 26th. She understands our desire for a natural delivery and for things happening on their own, so she actually never used the word "induction," but only said, "We'll have to talk about doing something." So maybe that week before would be a good time to get a pedicure and foot massage to trigger those points that supposedly start labor!
We went over our birth plan with Dr. K. Again, I was amazed and thankful that we have such a great doctor. I know I don't have anything to compare to, but I really didn't expect her to go over each piece with us, offer her own advice and explanation, and even give us some tips on how to talk to the nurses, who can tend to be anti-natural. She specifically brought up the hep lock/IV choice, and said there are many nurses who walk into your room right after you've checked in with an IV bag and pole, ready to hook you up. She said that's unecessary, and the best thing to do is to say, "Dr. K requested that we not have an IV until we're ready for pain medication." That way, they get the satisfaction of knowing we'll get it eventually (if I don't make it natural), and it holds them off "for a little while," Dr. K says. The worst thing to do is tell them straight up that you don't want an IV, because it just starts things off on the wrong foot, and you really want your nurse to like you.
She also mentioned the food issue, and basically said not to eat something that you wouldn't mind seeing later, because around 3 of 4 centimeters dilated, lots of women tend to throw up. I told her I figured I'd only eat things I would eat if I had the stomach flu (clear liquids, bland foods), and she said that would probably be fine. Now regarding nipple stimulation (I told you it would come up again), she said that it was fine as long as I'm on the monitor at the time, and to under no circumstances tell the nurses! She said the monitor was important because it could actually cause the baby's heartbeat to change, and if it did, and the nurse comes running in, just say, "I don't know what happened! I was just scratching an itch, and all of the sudden THIS happened!" Ah....labor humor...I love it.
But I thought it was especially interesting how the nurse brought up these three issues--IV, food, and natural labor stimulation--and Dr. K also (without our prodding) brought up the same issues. She said there's one nurse named Joyce who is the most encouraging nurse when it comes to natural labor/delivery, and will do everything she can to help you meet your goal. So if y'all want to pray for Joyce to be on duty, that would be fine with me!
Dr. K said she would be in and out of the room periodically while I'm in labor, assuming she's around when I'm delivering. I was a little surprised, because I just expected her to show up at the end. She said she used to hang around a lot more, but she values her sleep more these days. I guess I can respect that. :)
I asked about an Arbonne cream I'm trying as an experiment to lessen the swelling in my ankles. She gave her usual response, "As long as you don't drink it or inject it, it's fine." So we'll see how it goes. If it works, I'll report!
And that, my friends, was the appointment! Very informative, for sure! Everyone, from the sonographer to the nurse to the doctor, was a fountain of information today. And I've just passed it on to you and you didn't even have to pay a copay. How's that for service!
Friday, November 07, 2008
Thirty-Eight Weeks
Here it is: the 38-week update!
Caleb is approximately 6.8 pounds and over 19.5 inches long! He should have a good grip by now, so BabyCenter says. Another interesting tidbit from BabyCenter is about eye color:
Caleb is still moving away. His bumps and kicks aren't as spastic as they used to be; they're more like he's rolling around, or doing a slow stretch. Sometimes he still catches me off guard with a quick whack in the bladder or something like that, but usually it's fairly slow. His movements will get smaller as his living quarters get more cramped.
My movements have also gotten slower these days. The other day I mopped, and it wore me out so much I couldn't even put the rugs and things back on the tile when I was done. Bending over was just too hard. So from now on, if you come by and notice my dirty floors, well you just grab the mop and bucket and have fun! :) Today I'm supposed to be finishing the house cleaning...we'll see how that goes. I'm hoping as long as I stay upright (not lots of bending or stretching), I'll be okay. I'm thankful for Jon and his constant willingness to help!
I've also gotten very tired lately. I wear out easily, and wanted to go to bed at about 7 the last two nights. I managed to stay up until 9 last night. (10 the night before, but that's because it was girl-talk with Karen night, and usually we stay up until midnight or 1 for those!) When I do sleep, I dream about labor, about work, about moving...and I wake up and think about these things. Then I pray about them and go back to sleep to dream some more. I don't know if it's the discomfort of pregnancy or my mind racing that wakes me up throughout the night. I do know that I'm thankful there's a God who listens to my midnight prayers!
I found out on Wednesday that our company has been sold to another company (maybe more on that will show up on my LMNovations blog someday). It's a big deal, and I think a good thing. No jobs will be lost, which is very good. However, our whole "look and feel" has to change by January, and that happens to be my department solely...and oh yeah, I'm having a baby in two weeks and won't be back until Jan. 5th.... So, yesterday, for the first time, I thought, "I don't want to be pregnant any more. I don't want to have a baby. This is more than I can handle. This is too much change." I'm not a big change person anyway, so to add the sale of the company on top of everything else has just felt like the last straw.
However, this morning my mindset is better. Of ALL the changes coming our way in the next couple of months, Caleb is the one I'm most excited about. Job changes, role reversals, moves, and marketing will all settle down...and eventually will change again. But Caleb is here to stay!
I've tried to formulate a post in my mind about what it feels like to be pregnant. To be sure, I've conveyed the physical feelings as thoroughly as I could, and some of the mental ones as well, but I haven't been able to explain--even to myself--the impact that being pregnant has had on me. I thought it would change my life: that I would grow in wisdom and spiritual truth as I prepared for parenthood. I thought it would be on my mind at all times of the day--this new joy that I haven't yet met. So I've been surprised and felt a little guilty that I have not become that wise mother-figure, and there are many times in a day when I'm thinking about the laundry or work or church plans or countless other things. I don't sit in Caleb's room and dream, and I don't rub my belly and have conversations with Caleb about how much God loves him and how much Jon and I love him. I don't gravitate towards small children and want to hold them. I expected these things, but it hasn't happened. And since that's what I expected, I feel at a loss to describe what really has happened, because I can't really tell. Have I matured these past 9 months? Am I a different person now? Does that come at Caleb's birth? Or perhaps I'm expecting to become my own mother overnight, when I know it probably took her years to become the woman she is.
At some point, perhaps, I'll be able to look back and see how the last 9 months have affected me. Once Caleb is no longer my constant campanion in my womb, maybe I'll figure out the emotions I had when he kicked and squirmed.
I know that over the last 9 months, I've had time to adjust to new things. Nine months ago, Babies R Us scared me, diapers were an unnecessary conversation, and I could really care less about the correct methods to soothe a baby. All that is now everyday life: diapers, wipes, socks, onesies, the best bottles, the right lighting.... It's all part of my conversation these days. So I'm glad I've had these 9 months. I've needed them! And though I may not be able to explain what has happened to me as a person over this period of my life, I do know I've changed. And I know I'll continue to change as our little baby becomes a little boy and then a young man.
Caleb is approximately 6.8 pounds and over 19.5 inches long! He should have a good grip by now, so BabyCenter says. Another interesting tidbit from BabyCenter is about eye color:
"Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)"So there you go! Jon has blue-green eyes, and I have brown-green eyes, so it'll be interesting to see what color Caleb's eyes are.
Caleb is still moving away. His bumps and kicks aren't as spastic as they used to be; they're more like he's rolling around, or doing a slow stretch. Sometimes he still catches me off guard with a quick whack in the bladder or something like that, but usually it's fairly slow. His movements will get smaller as his living quarters get more cramped.
My movements have also gotten slower these days. The other day I mopped, and it wore me out so much I couldn't even put the rugs and things back on the tile when I was done. Bending over was just too hard. So from now on, if you come by and notice my dirty floors, well you just grab the mop and bucket and have fun! :) Today I'm supposed to be finishing the house cleaning...we'll see how that goes. I'm hoping as long as I stay upright (not lots of bending or stretching), I'll be okay. I'm thankful for Jon and his constant willingness to help!
I've also gotten very tired lately. I wear out easily, and wanted to go to bed at about 7 the last two nights. I managed to stay up until 9 last night. (10 the night before, but that's because it was girl-talk with Karen night, and usually we stay up until midnight or 1 for those!) When I do sleep, I dream about labor, about work, about moving...and I wake up and think about these things. Then I pray about them and go back to sleep to dream some more. I don't know if it's the discomfort of pregnancy or my mind racing that wakes me up throughout the night. I do know that I'm thankful there's a God who listens to my midnight prayers!
I found out on Wednesday that our company has been sold to another company (maybe more on that will show up on my LMNovations blog someday). It's a big deal, and I think a good thing. No jobs will be lost, which is very good. However, our whole "look and feel" has to change by January, and that happens to be my department solely...and oh yeah, I'm having a baby in two weeks and won't be back until Jan. 5th.... So, yesterday, for the first time, I thought, "I don't want to be pregnant any more. I don't want to have a baby. This is more than I can handle. This is too much change." I'm not a big change person anyway, so to add the sale of the company on top of everything else has just felt like the last straw.
However, this morning my mindset is better. Of ALL the changes coming our way in the next couple of months, Caleb is the one I'm most excited about. Job changes, role reversals, moves, and marketing will all settle down...and eventually will change again. But Caleb is here to stay!
I've tried to formulate a post in my mind about what it feels like to be pregnant. To be sure, I've conveyed the physical feelings as thoroughly as I could, and some of the mental ones as well, but I haven't been able to explain--even to myself--the impact that being pregnant has had on me. I thought it would change my life: that I would grow in wisdom and spiritual truth as I prepared for parenthood. I thought it would be on my mind at all times of the day--this new joy that I haven't yet met. So I've been surprised and felt a little guilty that I have not become that wise mother-figure, and there are many times in a day when I'm thinking about the laundry or work or church plans or countless other things. I don't sit in Caleb's room and dream, and I don't rub my belly and have conversations with Caleb about how much God loves him and how much Jon and I love him. I don't gravitate towards small children and want to hold them. I expected these things, but it hasn't happened. And since that's what I expected, I feel at a loss to describe what really has happened, because I can't really tell. Have I matured these past 9 months? Am I a different person now? Does that come at Caleb's birth? Or perhaps I'm expecting to become my own mother overnight, when I know it probably took her years to become the woman she is.
At some point, perhaps, I'll be able to look back and see how the last 9 months have affected me. Once Caleb is no longer my constant campanion in my womb, maybe I'll figure out the emotions I had when he kicked and squirmed.
I know that over the last 9 months, I've had time to adjust to new things. Nine months ago, Babies R Us scared me, diapers were an unnecessary conversation, and I could really care less about the correct methods to soothe a baby. All that is now everyday life: diapers, wipes, socks, onesies, the best bottles, the right lighting.... It's all part of my conversation these days. So I'm glad I've had these 9 months. I've needed them! And though I may not be able to explain what has happened to me as a person over this period of my life, I do know I've changed. And I know I'll continue to change as our little baby becomes a little boy and then a young man.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Dr. Appointment
Yesterday we went to another doctor appointment. They're coming around quickly these days!
Here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 1lb. Total of 25lbs.
Uterus: 33-34cms
Blood pressure: 119/82
Caleb's heart rate: 130bpm
You might notice that the uterus measurement is actually smaller than last week's, and that we certainly aren't keeping up with the cm/week average. (It should be measuring at 37-38cms this week.) That could be for two reasons. First, a 4th-year med student did the measuring this week, so maybe she just picked the wrong spot. Or second, maybe Caleb isn't growing like he should be, though everything else seems fine, and he's still kicking and moving around, which is a good sign. To check on things, Dr. K scheduled yet another sonogram for next week! I agree with Leanna that Caleb's going to have quite a photo album going before he's even born! Though last time they didn't give us any pictures. Hmph. Dr. K is not really concerned, and said she would only become so if I stopped feeling Caleb move around. So I'll keep a watch on that this week, but I don't see him slowing down any time soon!
I have had a cold for about a week, and the cold medicine I've been taking (approved Tylenol brand) seems to have caused my heart to do something weird--race, work harder, I don't know exactly how to describe it. So, I stopped taking it. Dr. K said I was correct that it was probably my cold medicine, but that I could still continue taking it if I needed it, that it wouldn't hurt me or Caleb. So that's good. The better news is that I'm feeling much better today, so I probably won't take it anyway. She also said I could use pretty much any cough medicine but Nyquil, which I thought was interesting. And my trusty Vicks was also fine for use.
Something I forgot to mention last week is that I had a test for Group B Strep. If it was present (and it is in 30% of women), then I would have to be on an IV antibiotic during labor/delivery so as not to pass it to Caleb. The test results came back negative this week, so we're good to go!
Dr. K checked again for dilation and effacement, and again, no change! She said he's just waiting for her to get back in town before he comes! However, she did think he'd dropped a little, because this week she could feel him a little, whereas last week she didn't feel him at all. And yeah, a little odd that my doctor can feel a baby inside of me. I know there is one, but still...weird when you think about it!
Because it looks like Caleb's going to take his time, and I'd really like to avoid medical induction, I asked Dr. K about maternity/labor acupressure that naturally induces labor. She said it was fine to try--she didn't know of a whole lot of people who have done it, so she couldn't attest to its effectiveness, but that it certainly wouldn't hurt. She did say someone used hypnosis: it didn't work very well with her first baby, but worked like a charm with her second. So you never know! I figure I should probably get out and start walking to encourage Caleb to drop a little more, and then--at the point when the doctor would recommend medical induction--I'll try the acupressure. The main thing for me is to stop thinking about the convenience of a certain date, or the inconvenience of a baby born on Thanksgiving, or whatever, and realize that Caleb will come when he comes! There's no reason for me to try to plan it.
We set up a few more appointments. Dr. K will be gone on the 17th, so we'll be meeting with Dr. P, which is good, because she might just be the on-call dr. when Caleb comes, so it'll be good to meet her. Then we set up an appointment for when Dr. K gets back--Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving--to check in with her if this baby still hasn't come. If he comes sooner, we'll cancel that appointment.
And we'll be parents!!
Here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 1lb. Total of 25lbs.
Uterus: 33-34cms
Blood pressure: 119/82
Caleb's heart rate: 130bpm
You might notice that the uterus measurement is actually smaller than last week's, and that we certainly aren't keeping up with the cm/week average. (It should be measuring at 37-38cms this week.) That could be for two reasons. First, a 4th-year med student did the measuring this week, so maybe she just picked the wrong spot. Or second, maybe Caleb isn't growing like he should be, though everything else seems fine, and he's still kicking and moving around, which is a good sign. To check on things, Dr. K scheduled yet another sonogram for next week! I agree with Leanna that Caleb's going to have quite a photo album going before he's even born! Though last time they didn't give us any pictures. Hmph. Dr. K is not really concerned, and said she would only become so if I stopped feeling Caleb move around. So I'll keep a watch on that this week, but I don't see him slowing down any time soon!
I have had a cold for about a week, and the cold medicine I've been taking (approved Tylenol brand) seems to have caused my heart to do something weird--race, work harder, I don't know exactly how to describe it. So, I stopped taking it. Dr. K said I was correct that it was probably my cold medicine, but that I could still continue taking it if I needed it, that it wouldn't hurt me or Caleb. So that's good. The better news is that I'm feeling much better today, so I probably won't take it anyway. She also said I could use pretty much any cough medicine but Nyquil, which I thought was interesting. And my trusty Vicks was also fine for use.
Something I forgot to mention last week is that I had a test for Group B Strep. If it was present (and it is in 30% of women), then I would have to be on an IV antibiotic during labor/delivery so as not to pass it to Caleb. The test results came back negative this week, so we're good to go!
Dr. K checked again for dilation and effacement, and again, no change! She said he's just waiting for her to get back in town before he comes! However, she did think he'd dropped a little, because this week she could feel him a little, whereas last week she didn't feel him at all. And yeah, a little odd that my doctor can feel a baby inside of me. I know there is one, but still...weird when you think about it!
Because it looks like Caleb's going to take his time, and I'd really like to avoid medical induction, I asked Dr. K about maternity/labor acupressure that naturally induces labor. She said it was fine to try--she didn't know of a whole lot of people who have done it, so she couldn't attest to its effectiveness, but that it certainly wouldn't hurt. She did say someone used hypnosis: it didn't work very well with her first baby, but worked like a charm with her second. So you never know! I figure I should probably get out and start walking to encourage Caleb to drop a little more, and then--at the point when the doctor would recommend medical induction--I'll try the acupressure. The main thing for me is to stop thinking about the convenience of a certain date, or the inconvenience of a baby born on Thanksgiving, or whatever, and realize that Caleb will come when he comes! There's no reason for me to try to plan it.
We set up a few more appointments. Dr. K will be gone on the 17th, so we'll be meeting with Dr. P, which is good, because she might just be the on-call dr. when Caleb comes, so it'll be good to meet her. Then we set up an appointment for when Dr. K gets back--Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving--to check in with her if this baby still hasn't come. If he comes sooner, we'll cancel that appointment.
And we'll be parents!!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Clothing update
Let's just say I have surpassed the green pillow....
New belly pics up to week 37 are up in the sidebar!
New belly pics up to week 37 are up in the sidebar!
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