Week 34: Lightening is Not Fun!

Hi everyone! Today we had another pretty cool doctor's appointment that included our 3rd and final sonogram (see previous post for those pics). Everything looks wonderful: my placenta looks fine, the amount of amniotic fluid is great, and baby looks good. Granted, we did not get very good looks at baby's face or reproductive organs because a) this kid is stubborn and once again refused to move its hands away from its face or move to a more favorable position, and b) its getting crowded in that uterus so there isn't as much room to manuveur. Baby is still thought to be the same gender as predicted in the past 2 ultrasounds, though. Baby was sleeping but did open its eyes a few times as you can see in the pictures. However, baby refused to move much other than to shoe us away with its hands. So, the pictures are not as complete as last time since the hands are screwing up the pictures, but you can see that baby has put on some weight and is plumping up niceley. In fact, its estimated weight at this point is 5 pounds 3 ounces, and it is still on track for its Oct. 31st due date. Baby should put on about a half a pound a week from here on out.

WARNING: pregnany-related information is contained in the next 2 paragraphs. Please skip if you don't like that sort of thing (really its not that bad, but some people are wusses, so there's your warning.)

After the sonogram I had my regular visit with my midwife. She confirmed that baby is head down and baby's heartrate is in the 120's. Then I told her about the uncomfortable sensations I had been having on Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday. I told her I was pretty sure it was "lightening" which is when the baby drops and engages its head in the pelvis. I was a big grump that day and a half because it felt like my pelvis was being pulled apart along with the ligaments that support it. I said it felt like I had been doing the splits for 24 hours straight. Some women find lightening more comfortable because it gives them more room to breathe and keeps baby from kicking them in the ribs. However, I have always been carrying this baby quite low so now its even lower, and because of my long torso, baby never reached my lungs nor ribs.

My midwife examined me and agreed that baby had dropped and told me I was 1 cm dilated (although not effaced at all yet)! I wonder if it was my pelvis stretching or the dialation that I was feeling. Either way, luckily most of the pressure is gone now and I have gotten used to baby's new position for the most part. The dialation thing took me by suprise, but she assured me that this wouldn't mean that I would necessarily deliver early. Some people dilate slowly or dialate a few centimeters early on but then stop for weeks before they actually go into labor. That is good because we are not ready yet! I told my child that it needed to give me at least another 3 weeks. Who knows, though; baby could end up taking its sweet time, and I could go for another 8 weeks even. Let's hope not!

A 3rd Set of Sonogram Pics

 

Nursery Prep Stage 2: Painting

Taping off the Trim

Priming

The "Finished Product" has been deleted to protect innocent eyes. It did not give away the gender of the baby, but for those who read into things, I will save them the trouble.

Coming soon to Lesley & Scott's website: pictures of the finished nursery including the paint job. I'll post a link when they are up.

Prepping the Nursery: Stripping the Carpet Out

Fist I cut the carpet into strips

It took awhile

Then I pulled up the pad and staples

Scott pulled up the tack strips

Scott was responsible for taking up the lovely green paint spills left by the previous owners. Thank God for Oops paint remover! The fumes could kill a person, though.

Stuff for Baby

Glider

Diaper Champ diaper pail

Cortina Stroller & Carseat

Fisher Price Aquarium Bath Tub

Fisher Price Power Plus Swing

Fisher Price Space Saver Highchair

Week 32 - a little late

Okay, so this post was due a week and a half ago, but oh well. Scott & I both have colds so we are a bit under the weather. Nothing too exciting occurred over the last week or two, but we did make many baby-related purchases to prepare for the little one's arrival in just about 6 weeks (give or take a week or two). I will be 34 weeks along as of Monday, but the picture below is my 32 week pic. Anyway, back to the shopping: I made some purchases during the baby sales going on at all the big box stores last week to round off our preparations including the diaper pail, bathtub, highchair, diapers, and other baby toiletries. We also finally got our stroller and carseat. Some baskets for the changing table, a quilt rack to hang the baby quilt above the crib, and a camcorder arrived by mail. I think we are broke now, if we weren't before! We haven't had time to try out the camcorder yet but hope to soon. We researched it quite a bit to find one of the best quality at the cheapest price (sounds like Scott and me, huh?) and settled on the Panasonic GS180 miniDV. It is so small!! Hope it fits our needs.

Other than shopping, we have been educating ourselves. We started childbirth classes on Wednesday, Sept. 6th and continue those every Wednesday evening for 5 weeks. We also took a breastfeeding course on Saturday (3 1/2 hours - who knew it was so complicated? It was a very informative class!). We have also decided we would like to have a doula for our birth since we are both novices at this and I want to try for the natural childbirth thing. The doula is basically a birthing support person. I have no problem learning from someone with experience! The doula will help me with my relaxation techniques and by acting as my advocate by helping me and my health care providers follow my birth plan. So, we have interviewed one doula and still have 2 interviews to go. Also, we finally found a pediatrician. Her name is Dr. Mary Jo Flint, and get this - she is a North Dakota native from Grand Forks and she is a fellow UND alumnus!! Go Sioux.

Stay tuned later this week for our 3rd set of sonogram pics. We are doing another follow up ultrasound on Friday to recheck my placenta, but I am really looking forward to the pictures of baby! I will also post another picture of "the belly."