Waiting for Baby

39 Weeks 

With only 3 days til my due date, I am just waiting for baby's arrival. I am anxious to meet my little one but feeling more nervous about labor as the arrival day approaches. I am trying to stay calm and tell myself that my body will tell me what to do. I won't deny that I am afraid of how painful it is going to be and how I will endure it, but I am relieved to know I will have support in the room. Joshua and Joy, our doula, will be the in the room with me to remind me of the pain relieving techniques I have learned. 

My mom arrived this week, and I hope she gets to meet baby before she leaves. I don't think this baby is going to come according to anyone else's schedule though. I just have to be patient and know that it will come when it is ready. Having my mom here this week is really nice even without the baby, as she has been helping with cleaning,  yard work, and a bunch of other stuff. I have been really exhausted so I greatly appreciate the extra help. She bought us a bunch of baby clothes yesterday too (mom wanted to get both a girl's outfit and boy's outfit--I'll simply return the one we don't use).  

I have slowly been transitioning myself out of work this week. I wanted to take some time off while my mom visited but have also found that I really enjoy having the time to relax. Being able to take a nap in the middle of the day is really nice! It has been hard for me to let my work go and pass on the responsibility to someone else, but I know work will get done without me. 

I had a little bit of a scare this week but everything is okay. I felt faint and had intense pains in my abdomen on Tuesday. I got checked out, and baby and me were all okay. Baby may have just been pressing up on some organs/blood vessels and was giving me the most horrible heartburn I have ever had. My legs felt weak and it was hard to move my body. Other than that day, though, I have been feeling pretty good. My midwife says everything looks good and reminded me that first time moms typically go into labor 5 days after their due date. I even lost a little bit of weight this past week, but she thought this was most likely water weight lost. 

So, everything looks good.. just waiting for baby to come! 

8 Days and Counting!

Only 8 days til my due date! But of course I could go into labor any day now.. or it could still be another 3 weeks.  It is so exciting and scary at the same time to think how my life is going to completely change at any minute. Trying to plan my week or even day feels impossible as I am not sure if baby will be here. I don't want to buy too many groceries as I am not sure I'll be able to cook the food!

I'm feeling pretty prepared (or at least as much as one can for the unexpected) and am now just waiting. The baby's room is all set up now. We have furniture, diapers, clothes, car seat is installed, and so many other little things all ready. Joshua and I made a Babies R Us run yesterday for some last minute stuff. My maternity leave has even started! Even though, I am planning on going into work a little bit this week as long as baby permits.

Recently, I have even felt as though I have more energy which is completely amazing. I actually feel much better now than I have for a while. My swelling seems to have gone down a little, and I don't seem to be sleep walking all day long. It may be because my body is allowing me to "nest" or, more likely, it is because moving is over and work has slowed down. August sure was busy and completely wore me out. It feels good to be able to have some time now to relax every once in a while.

Women who have been pregnant and due around the same time as me have had their babies. I'm just waiting for my turn now! My friend Rachel had a little baby girl, Julia, two weeks ago. Julia is the cutest, tiniest thing ever!! Seeing Julia gets me really excited about having my own baby and also completely shocks me that I am actually going to have a little baby like that too any day.

Photo taken at Phish Concert (9/3/11)

I'm having a baby this month!

It's September! Finally! I feel as though I have been pregnant forever and am so anxious to soon have a little baby in my arms. I've recently had this feeling that baby is on its way but don't want to get too excited yet. It could still be another 5 weeks but my gut tells me baby is not going to give me that long. It is time to make my final purchases and get everything washed.

Now that we are in our new house, I am trying to get everything arranged and prepared for baby's arrival. Joshua put the car seat in the car the other day, and I have set up baby's travel crib. It's starting to look like there is going to be a baby in this house!

I had two baby showers last weekend and got a bunch of awesome stuff! One of the showers was a surprise from my co-workers. Both were so much fun and made me feel really loved. At my first baby shower, friends made me a birthing bracelet which I will treasure for a long time. At my second baby shower, we made a scrap book for a baby's book. Such creative ideas that are really special!

Joshua and I finished up our birthing classes a while ago and took a tour of the hospital. The hospital tour really calmed my fears of having a birth there. They seemed really progressive, and the facility is super nice. I had been questioning whether a hospital birth was the right choice for me or not but after our tour I feel confident that a hospital birth will be a great experience.

The month of August was super busy (thus I did not post much). From moving to baby classes to having a huge fundraising event at work, I was completely wiped. Things are starting to settle down but only enough for me to recognize all the things that still need to be done before baby's arrival. I am hoping to get a lot of the final touches done this weekend just in case baby comes early. I'm running out of time!!!

Picture is from Week 37. Taken in baby's (messy) room!

10 Things No-One Tells You About Pregnancy

Picture is from Week 34.

I started this post a while back but never finished it until now..

While I knew that pregnancy was going to be a huge life changing experience, I don't think I realized to what extent. I had been told you have mood swings when pregnant, develop intense food cravings, pee a lot, and are simply uncomfortable. All in all, I don't think I really knew what to expect. None of my very close friends have been pregnant (until I got pregnant!) and many people don't want to talk about all the changes that happen with pregnancy. Well, I am going to call them out right now. I made a top ten list but could probably name a million things that have surprised me about pregnancy.

Be forewarned.. this is mostly a complaint list so if you don't want to listen to me whine, please don't read. :)

1. That morning sickness is HELL! It lasts all day long and completely wears you out. Even if I was not throwing up, I felt nauseous all the time. I have been asked by quite a few, "Oh do you just have a little morning sickness today?" A little? And just? No, I have a lot and feel completely like shit. I was caught off guard on how horrible I felt especially right at the beginning. The first 3-4 months were absolutely the worst.

2. Intense exhaustion. I was the most tired at the beginning of the pregnancy (could have been b/c I was barely eating and throwing up what I did eat). I felt as though I could sleep all the time and would practically. When I was awake, my mind felt like one big cloud. I'm still super tired and frustrated by how little my body lets me do. For instance, going to the grocery store is exhausting and will poop me out for the rest of the day.

3. You develop a super sense of smell which, unfortunately, is not a great superpower to have. This symptom faded pretty quickly after the 1st trimester ended.. thank goodness. Everything would stink, including my husband. I went to the mall early in pregnancy and was completely overwhelmed by all the aromas. I felt as though I were going crazy when I couldn't even tolerate my own house.

4. Things that come out of your body. My boobs leak and I sweat more. None of this is pleasant. I will spare you the rest of the details.

5. Leg cramps that make you get up and scream. I have had some of the worst leg cramps in my entire life. I woke up screaming one night from all the pain and think I scared Joshua half to death. The cramps typically come at night but make my legs stiff the entire day.

6. Pregancy carpal tunnel. This has been one of my biggest complaints and had never ever heard of it. My hands get numb and wake me up at night from all the pain. It probably started at the beginning of the third trimester and has only gotten worse as the days go by. Some mornings I wake up and cannot move my hands.

7. Your whole body feels different. It is not just that my belly is getting bigger, but my whole body feels as though it is going through a transformation. I have gotten pimples and dark spots. I had really intense headaches at the beginning. My hair and nails grow faster/thicker. And of course my mind is changing. I see everything differently from myself to the entire world. While my body may feel huge and uncomfortable at times, I am also amazed by what it is doing.

8. Constipation and hemorrhoids. That's probably enough said.

9. People's reactions. I'm amazed how openly people will bring up my body as a point of discussion. It almost feels as though others assume my body is not my own now that I have a being growing inside of me. From the stares I get when I walk into Starbucks to strangers commenting on my size, I haven't decided how I feel about it all. I'm happy that others are excited for me and want to talk about the joy of parenthood and usually seem generally concerned about how I feel. Sometimes, though, people seem to negatively judge the decisions I am making during pregnancy (including where I am giving birth, what I have or have not bought for the baby, etc). To the woman at Starbucks staring at me: Yes, I do drink a little caffeine (only tea) but, no, this is not something that you have the right to judge.

10. Your body is growing another human being. Now, I obviously knew that this would happen if I became pregnant but had no idea how this would feel. My belly is rounder for sure but there are all these internal changes that happen with pregnancy. My baby kicks and does somersaults inside of me. It is sometimes awake when I want to sleep or likes to be in positions that I don't prefer. I don't think I realized how strong of an attachment I would already feel for this little thing inside of me. I feel ultra protective of my growing sea-monkey and try to make the best decisions possible for it every day. While I have never seen or held my little baby, I feel it move inside me everyday and already know some of its personality. Part of me is somewhat sad that this being is going to separate from me soon. In the outside world, I will have to share the baby with others and let it be its own person. I'm excited for all those things to happen but will also miss this special time with just the two of us.

32 Weeks

This week has been filled with baby and labor education. On Tuesday evening, I had a breastfeeding class. On Wednesday, Joshua and I had our childbirth class. On Thursday, we had my 32nd week doctor appointment and a meeting with our doula. Goodness! I love feeling prepared, but it has been a lot of information to process for one week. Joshua told me at one point, he needed 30 minutes without talking about labor/baby. :)

My breastfeeding class was really wonderful. It made me feel more confident that I can do this. The instructor made it seem easy and taught us very useful, tangible skills. I think my biggest concerns around breastfeeding deal with going back to work. Right now, though, I am trying to take it one step at a time. I won't have to think about combining breastfeeding with work for a little while yet.

While Joshua and I like our childbirth class, we have been feeling as though it has been missing an important piece on the logistics of labor. I am so happy that we have Joy (our doula) to answer any questions we still have and discuss with us things we should know! Our childbirth class primarily focuses on preparing us mentally for labor and how to cope with pain. I've learned a lot about myself, including what comforts me and how I vision labor. The class has been a great time for me to connect to the baby. While I have been feeling scared of being the sole person responsible for giving birth to this baby and even feeling alone in the process, our class has talked about connecting with your baby through the labor and thinking about how the two of you are in this together. I found that really comforting and beautiful. It's not just me who is going through the labor; my baby will signal to me when he/she is ready to come and will be doing work as well.

My 32 week doctor appointment went well! The appointments are typically pretty quick. Blood pressure, weight, urine, and baby's measurements all look good. I am relieved to know baby is measuring right on track! We have been seeing a really great midwife at these appointments. She takes time to answer any questions we have and helps put my worries aside. Through my insurance plan, I won't know who will be in the delivery room with me so thought about switching what doctor/midwife I see at the prenatal appointments but have decided instead to stick with someone I like. I'll have Joshua and Joy in the room with me and think they can provide me with the familiar faces I need.

I'm so relieved that our week of appointments ended with Joy. She is so wonderful, and I am incredibly grateful for her support and knowledge. She gave me some to-do's for now until the end of pregnancy. I need to take probiotics, drink red raspberry tea, sit or lean forward as much as possible to get baby in the ideal position, and continue doing yoga. I love it when people give me advice like this; I feel as though I am proactively doing something everyday that is helping baby's arrival.

The end of the third trimester has brought on some aches and pains but nothing compares to the horrible feelings of the 1st trimester. I've been having trouble sleeping at night and even moving around. I seem to have developed pregnancy carpal tunnel which is so painful! At night, it is the worst. My hands go numb. The baby has also been kicking much harder and wakes me up at night. It kicks so hard that I sometimes fear something is wrong.

Besides some sleepless nights, I have been overall feeling really good. I feel huge but good. Of course the heat is a huge discomfort, but I think I'm starting to get used to it or have just learned to tolerate it a little more.

9 more weeks and so much to do

We have exciting news! It looks like we are moving forward on buying a house! Woohoo!!! We have been extremely busy lately with trying to seal the deal. Our condo went under contract a week ago, and we immediately put in an offer on a house we like. Every day it looks more and more like a real possibility that we are going to have our own house with our own back yard. It is so exciting to think our baby may get a room of its own, and we'll have space for so many more things!

In the midst of signing paperwork for the new house and tidying ends for the condo, we have been really busy with baby stuff. Only nine more weeks, so I have been feeling the pressure to get everything done in time. We have started our child birth classes and took a newborn class a week ago. We love our child birth classes! We are taking "Birthing from Within" classes at the place I do yoga. The class is really small so there is time for discussion and questions.

This past weekend, we bought a TON of stuff for the baby! We hit up a huge community sale where we got so many baby things for awesome deals. At our first stop we got a swing and "exersaucer" for free! We completely filled our car with crib sheets, baby toys, clothes, blankets, and so much more. I'm so excited to say we only spent $100!

While life seems to get busier by the minute, my energy level sinks further every day. I am constantly tired and feel as thought I could sleep 24/7. I honestly feel more tired than I have ever in my whole life. The hot weather does not help at all. Our new place will have A/C! I cannot wait. :)

3rd Trimester!

As of last week, I am in my 3rd and final trimester! This pregnancy has been quite a journey, but I am not sure I feel quite ready to have a baby in my life in nearly two months. So many things to get ready and still need to prepare myself mentally. I recently bought several more books as I'm nervous I don't know what I'm doing. I suppose I will never feel fully ready though.

It sure is summer in Colorado! It has been so hot! I worry how I'm going to get through two plus months of this weather. Joshua has been such a sweetheart as he has been giving me the car to drive to work on real hot days. I feel immensely guilty as I only work about a mile from home, but it sure is nice to not be outside in the brutal sun.

Joshua and I have been trying to find "cool" activities on the weekends since we only have a window ac unit in the bedroom that doesn't always work the best. This past Saturday, we went to the art museum as it was a free day. I really enjoyed it but was surprised by how quickly I got tired from walking around. We have been seeking out lots of ac places, like movies, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. We also went to a concert at Red Rocks a few weekends ago (saw Widespread Panic). It was much cooler in the foothills than in Denver! I was nervous that the sound would be too loud, but my doctor said it was fine to go. Of course, I had to go to the bathroom about a million times, and the stairs to get to the bathroom are horrendous at Red Rocks! I surely got my exercise for the day. I really enjoyed the concert and am very happy that I can still have a little fun every once in a while. :)

I had my 28 week appointment last week. I was so excited to hear that I only gained 1 lb since my last appointment! Baby is measuring right on track and everything looked great. I took a glucose test and am thankful to hear that I do not have gestational diabetes. I was told, though, that I need to be drinking more water, especially in the summer. I am not sure how to do this! I must drink a gallon a day already.

This upcoming Saturday is our newborn class! July is going to be a busy month with childbirth classes. I'm really excited to learn and meet other people in our classes.