Week 28- Baby Boy Chinese Cabbage

How your baby's growing: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

How your life's changing: You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

From: BabyCenter

Baby: Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. Measuring 14.8 inches long, he weighs 2 1/4 lbs. He will continue to gain body fat in the coming weeks to prepare him for life outside of your womb. At 28 weeks, your baby can recognize your voice! His eyes continue to develop this week and his brain is developing millions of neurons. The hair on his head continues to grow. Muscle tone in her body steadily develops, and even though his lungs are now capable of breathing air, it would be difficult for him if he were born now.

Mom: Congratulations! You made it to the third trimester! How are you feeling? The average weight gain by week 28 is 17-24 lbs. Don't worry if yours is a little more or less. If you have any concerns, as always, speak to your healthcare provider. In your last trimester, you should be seeing your healthcare provider every two weeks so there should be plenty of opportunities to raise any concerns that you might have. In fact, it's a good idea to keep a pad and pen with you to jot down any questions. Having a list of questions at your appointment is a great way to make sure all of your concerns are addressed. If any high-risk situations are detected on a routine visit, like preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH), gestational diabetes or placenta previa, you may be asked to visit your physician more often. Are you thinking of using a Birth Plan? No matter what kind of birth you are planning, a written birth plan, or a written statement about you and your partner's preferences for your labor and birth, may be a good idea.
Bringing a copy of this plan with you to the hospital is a simple way to inform the people who will come in to contact with you of your preferences for the birth. There is no "one way" or "correct" way to compose a birth plan. Some can be several pages long, and address every aspect of the birth; other mothers simply compose a short paragraph.

From Planning Family

seriously

Really, Lord. If for just once you could let something work out for my husband & me, I would be eternally grateful. I'm know he would too. Seriously, this has been the worst year ever with the exception of baby, and even that has a black cloud over it when it should be the most awesome thing to ever happen in our entire lives. Throw me a frickin' bone here.

Let's Get Physical, Physical (Therapy)

Yesterday I had my second session of physical therapy as recommended by my OB. At my first appointment I felt a little stupid going in because my pain is never as great in the morning as it is in the evening. While the PT was working on me, I really wasn't feeling a lot of pain, but as soon as I left the pain began and I felt pretty sore for the rest of the day. She concluded that my pain was more than likely a muscle strain brought about by posture and work movements. Posture isn't a strong point of mine unfortunately (you would never have known that I danced for many years), and pregnancy is only making it worse. My height finds me constantly leaning over because my arms aren't long enough to reach things, and the constant back and forth motion at work doesn't help things. She recommended that I am not to be a cashier for more than an hour or 2 at a time. I took these concerns to Target,who had no regard to her instructions. I worked 6 days straight leading up to yesterday's session, so I've had plenty of time to feel lots of pain. I've been working really hard at trying to remember and follow my list of exercises- but we are so busy at work, and with me constantly cashiering, it's sometimes hard to squeeze in the 2 minutes of required stretches per hour.

So at my appointment yesterday, the PT looked disappointed when I told her that work wasn't moving me around to keep me from cashiering up to 6 hours straight. She started the session with asking me how the pain was feeling- good news- the pain isn't lasting after I leave work, bad news- the pain is now on my left & right side at work + I've had some excruciating pain in my rib cage toward the end of my shift- now this could be an extremely severe case of heartburn, because I usually don't eat until an hour or 2 before I leave work- but combined with my back pain, I think I know what Scarlet O'Hara felt like when mammy laced her up in her corset. The pain on my left side is probably from over-compensating for my right side. I've definitely worked a lot harder on concentrating on my posture and trying not to do too much leaning over the belt to reach things.

My actual therapy started with a deep tissue massage- this got me aching. I think my therapist is a little stumped about the root of my pain in relation to where it is- I mentioned my scoliosis to her, which she said definitely is contributing to my pain. After the massage, we got to work on the exercises. Today I had way more exercises to work on then with my previous appointment, including some work with a band and a ball. I was feeling sore at the end, but not like last week. I have my exercises to work on over the next week, and luckily I only have 4 days in a row to work before my next day off (Dr.'s appointments every other week are really helping this)!

My next therapy appointment is Monday afternoon following my Dr. appointment. For now I've got the rest of this week to test out my back at work, and work on my new exercises- I'm hoping to start to see some improvement. We're only 4 weeks away from the dreaded holiday shopping season- and everyone has already told me that it's an absolute nightmare. It makes me not even want to Christmas shop! So let's keep our fingers crossed that the therapy is working for the sake of my back, and most likely, my sanity!

Week 27- Baby Boy Cauliflower

How your baby's growing: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

How your life's changing: The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too. It may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, but it's not too soon to think about family planning. You'll want to have made some decisions about postpartum birth control before your baby arrives.

from BabyCenter

Baby: Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. Measuring about 14.5 inches long, he weighs just about 2 lbs. This week, his brain is developing quickly. His eyelids, which have remained closed up until this point, begin to open and now his retinas can begin to form. The retina contains specialized photoreceptor cells that respond to light, called rods and cones. Cones in particular help us perceive color. His skin is still wrinkly but by 27 weeks, he basically looks how he will look when you give birth to him, in just a couple of months!

Mom: Congratulations! You are at the end of your second trimester! How are you feeling? Muscle cramps in your legs may be more common as your pregnancy progresses. Not only are you carrying extra weight but slowed circulation and compressed nerves are adding to the problem. Going for a walk? Stretching your calves and asking your partner for a massage are all great ways to deal with these pesky cramps! Did you know? - The average woman needs 15mg of iron a day but while you are pregnant you will need about twice that or 30 mg a day. Iron is essential for the production of the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells. This protein is called hemoglobin. When you're pregnant, you have about 50% more blood volume than usual. Therefore, you need more iron to make more hemoglobin. You also need extra iron for your baby and placenta. Below you will find some foods that are rich in iron.
Red Meat
Eggs
Peas
Dried Fruit
Poultry
Dark Leafy Greens
Legumes
You may have heard that liver is a great source of iron but it also contains unsafe levels of vitamin A and should be avoided during pregnancy. Also, the iron in vegetables is best absorbed when foods rich in vitamin C are eaten in the same meal. It may be hard to get enough iron from your diet alone. If you are worried that you aren't getting enough iron from your normal diet, you should ask your physician if an iron supplement may be right for you.



Here's me right around 27 weeks!

last 4 week appointment

Today was the last of my 4 week appointments, and boy was it a doozy. It was also my glucose screening, so I was kind of dreading that because of all the horror stories I had heard.

I was told to eat 1-2 hours before my appointment. My appointment was at 10, so I dragged myself out of bed around 8:45 and tried to see what I could make for breakfast that didn't have sugar in it. I had woken up around 6 to use the bathroom, and ever since then all i could think about were sweets. I wanted cereal, a banana, strawberries and a pumpkin spice latte for breakfast- it was all I could think about. I decided to go with the recommendation from the nurse at my last appointment-eggs. I scrambled 2 eggs with some cheese and pepper and poured myself some milk. When I was drinking the milk, I was shocked to find it had sugar listed in the nutritional facts. Hopefully I'm safe. I arrived at the office, and per usual had to pee in a cup. I had already gone twice that morning, but managed to go again. After that, I was given my Glucola. I got the fruit punch flavor, was told I had 5 minutes to finish it, so off I went. It actually wasn't as bad as I expected, and I finished it pretty easily. I had to stay in the office an hour to have my blood drawn, and I waited to see Dr. Uma as well.

We finally got back to see Dr. Uma. ::sidebar:: There, Dave & I had a spirited discussion about our house. Most of this stems from my inability to let this house go- which I don't know if I can do. Our house was up for rent from February-September, and has now been on the market for a few weeks. We have it listed for $80,000- a huge loss for us- today our agent emailed Dave & suggested we drop the price to $40,000. It just floors me that we are reduced to doing this. A of all- we own our house- we are not in forclosure (yet), B of all- our house is in immaculate condition. We need a quick solution for this, and for once in 2009, perhaps for the Lord to show us a little mercy. Between the house and our insurance woes i'm near the end of my rope.

Back to Dr. Uma- We asked her about our shots- Flu and H1N1 are both recommended. She wrote a note for me for my flu shot, which I'll be receiving from GE on November 5. Don't know anything about availability of the Swine. Then she spoke to me about my recent back pains. Pretty much I'm in pain from the moment my feet hit the floor unless I'm lying down or sitting with my back against something. I had to call out of work yesterday because it had gotten so bad. She asked me about where the pain was, and was shocked to hear how far UP my back it was. She poked around and ruled out kidney infection by my not punching her in the face. She told me I'd need to take ANOTHER urine test to check for kidney stones. If that were to come up negative, I would be sent for physical therapy. Luckily, the urine test was clean, so physical therapy it is. I called and they were able to get me in for tomorrow morning, luckily. I have today & tomorrow off work, so it will be a relief to get some answers before I work again.

Lastly, we asked her about our insurance issue and what she would think about delivering our little guy in 2009. She saw that I would be at 37 weeks, but still 20 days early would give her some worry. I am measuring right at where I'm supposed to be, so we're not "ahead" of schedule. She wanted to talk to Dr. Duval- who did my ultrasound- and is also a perinatologist. She says he could just say "yes" or he may want to see me again. I would more than likely have to have an amniocentisis a couple days before the induction to check for lung maturity. Usually the baby's lungs are fully mature at 37 weeks, but there's a 1-2% chance that they would not be. Amnio isn't an appealing aspect to me, but from what I've read so far, it's WAY safer at 37 weeks then it is at 20 weeks or sooner when checking for abnormalities. So right now we're just waiting to hear from Dr. Duval. We'll see...

On a final note. I've gained 10 lbs since my last appointment on September 21st. Good grief. This puts me right around 23 lbs with 10-13 weeks to go! AHH!! Dr. Uma told me I needed to cut down on candy, juice and replace carbs with proteins. She obviously doesn't know my cravings! I'm going to try to be good. Lots more water and lots less candy! We'll see. Hopefully when I have my next appointment in 2 weeks things will look a little better. I'm just hoping my weight was the Glucola talking.

Today is the last day of my 2nd Trimester~ Unbelievable!

changing my mind

so i had everything decided on as far as baby furniture went. we've done pretty well with buying things too- budgeting out a large item per every other paycheck or so. so far we have only gotten our glider rocker & "bassinet." this week we decided it was time to get our crib. i had one picked out, the Gulliver model from Ikea.

It was given an A in my Baby Bargains book for safety and value, and it didn't cost several hundred dollars- double bonus. White wasn't the look we were going for, but we thought we could stain it quite easily. We made our journey to Ikea Wednesday night, took a look at the bed in the baby section- it wasn't quite what i was expecting. It was a little smaller than I was expecting, and they had the mattress set up on the lower of the 2 levels. We decided to get it anyway. That evening I was re-reading through my BB book and I just kept having second thoughts- was there something better. That's when I read about the Graco/Bonavita cribs- also receiving an A in the book. I decided to go with the Graco Sarah.

I was hoping they'd carry them at Target, but they didn't. I looked around and found them at BRU and Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is about $30 cheaper (they are the same crib) and they will ship for free to your store, or ship to you for a whopping $0.97! I think I'll be happier with this crib. It's larger for one, and it's already the color we're going for- which means we only have to stain the dresser (one less thing to worry about after putting it together). Only thing I'm not entirely thrilled about- it's a convertible, and I think the convertibles are ridiculous, but I think I can live with that- besides, I don't ever plan on having to convert it.
Now Mama is happy, so everyone can be happy. Well, except we now have to make another trip to the dreaded Ikea...

In other news- we are going to look at a house/apartment this weekend. I feel relieved that we getting this ball rolling. Now, to sell, burn, drive a car into our house in Atlanta...

Shanny's Baby Shower

We had a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Shannon this weekend. I was in charge of the food- something I love doing! I think everything turned out wonderfully! My favorite thing was probably the cupcakes- we had a local bakery make them, so we weren't sure what they'd end up looking like. I think the little pink booties on them were perfect. We turned the cupcakes into baby rattles thanks to Betty Crocker. I hope Shannon enjoyed her shower as much as I enjoyed helping to throw it! I thought it turned out quite nicely!

Week 26- Baby Boy English Hothouse Cucumber/Chuck Roast

How your baby's growing: The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

How your life's changing: If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen.

from BabyCenter

Baby: Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. Measuring 14 inches long, he weighs just less than 2 lbs! His lungs continue to develop and he is taking small breaths of amniotic fluid inside your womb. These small breaths are getting him in shape for his first breath of fresh air. His veins are visible through histransparent skin but soon that will change as his skin begins to turn opaque. The nerve pathways are becoming more and more developed, making him more responsive to sound. Don't be surprised if you feel him jump inside you if he is startled by a sudden noise. If you're having a boy, his testicles are descending into his scrotum this week.

Mom: How are you feeling? If you are feeling short of breath this week, don't worry, this is common. Your uterus may be pressing on your rib cage, making it harder for your lungs to fully expand. How's your back? It's possible that your back might be feeling a little achy. Again, you can attribute this partially to your hormones. By 26 weeks, your pregnancy hormones are loosening up your joints and ligaments. Your changing center of gravity is also to blame. Have you picked a name? Picking a name can be quite a challenge, especially if you and your partner have different ideas of the perfect name. Need inspiration, revisit some of your favorite movies and films or find out your grandparents' middle names. Just one thing that's important to keep in mind...initials. Peter Owen O'Connell is a great name, but his initials could be troublesome when he reaches elementary school!

From PlanningFamily

the first 3 weeks of "fall" / trip to Ft. Fun

So it has hardly been fall for 3 weeks and we are already talking about snow around here. Really? That disgusts me. I barely felt like I got a summer, and now I don't even get a fall?! COME ON! If anything, it has given me the chance to dig into my delicious fall/winter maternity clothes. Luxe sweaters in a variety of colors and shapes. Yum.

Husband & I went to our storage unit last weekend and put away the majority of my summer clothes and brought back all my winter clothes. I spent some time going through what I think I can still wear without my belly stretching it out. I may be dreaming to still think I can wear my non-maternity clothes- but I'm going to keep that glimmer of hope alive!

One thing I definitely think I'm going to need- a winter coat. I own at least 8 winter coats that I have collected over the years- some had gotten a little snug, so those stayed in storage- but my 3 most recent coats made it back to the house with me. My newest coat I got this summer- a quilted Nike jacket with a tiny Georgia "G" on it. It's nice because it's fleece-lined, has a hood, and was only $20 (regular price $100+). I've been wearing it daily since it rains daily, but there's a slight problem- I'm already having trouble zipping it. My other 2 coats I haven't tried on yet, but they button/toggle, so I'm hoping that provides me a little extra room. If not, I've already started researching maternity coats and I'm hoping for a Ft. Wayne shopping excursion this weekend!

Ft. Wayne: We are off to Ft. Wayne, IN in a few hours to have a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Shannon. I will post pictures as I am in charge of food, and love this kind of thing! Plus, a whole weekend without work, means a whole weekend of wearing regular clothes- and as I already said, I have a lot of maternity stuff I can't wait to put on! Plus, Dave's grandmother has at least 10 pairs of my hand-me-down maternity pants that she's taking up for me- so excited to have more than 1 pair of pants finally!! Oh, and did I mention there's a Chick-fil-a in Ft. Wayne? Because there's a Chick-fil-a in Ft. Wayne, and I'm hungry.

Enjoy your weekends!

Week 25- Baby Boy Rutabaga

How your baby's growing: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. Measuring 13 1/2 inches long, he weighs approximately 1 1/2 lbs. In the coming weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature a fast rate, gaining some baby fat and filling out his long, lean frame. As he gains weight, his skin begins to become less wrinkled and he begins to look more and more like a newborn. Also, his skin is finally gaining some color. His hands are fully developed by this week, fingerprints and all! And at 25 weeks, the structure of the spine is beginning to form.

How your life's changing: Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, a second tube of blood may be taken at the same time to check for anemia. If blood tests show that you have iron-deficiency anemia (the most common type of anemia), your caregiver will probably recommend that you take an iron supplement.

Mom: How are you feeling? Only two weeks to go until your third trimester! Soon, you'll be seeing your caregiver about every two weeks. Feeling hot? You may notice that you feel more hot and sweaty than usual. Though added weight could be contributing to this, it's mostly due to your increased blood supply and the fact that your lungs are now doing 50% more work than they are used to! Because you are sweating a bit more now, it's important to avoid dehydration. Be sure to drink approximately 8 glasses of water a day, 10 is better. Drinking more will also help combat any swelling you are experiencing. It's probably a good idea to dress in breathable fabrics, even if it's winter, to help wick excess moisture away from your body. Remember, you can always layer your breathable fabrics if you are scared you won't be warm enough.

from: BabyCenter & Planning Family

eating while pregnant

today for lunch i had:


spanish rice

a hot wing w\ blue cheese dressing

a slice of pizza

and some chili cheese dip w\ chips

1. i should've known all along I was having a boy. 2. what is wrong with me and how is this baby going to come out. 3. I hope this doesn't have an ill-effect on my stomach at work tonight...