Happy New Year 2013

Do you make resolutions? If so what's your plan for 2013? 

Mine is to continue working on me; inside and out. 

Wishing all my family and friends a joyous and happy New Year!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Natalya!

It's my daughter's birthday today. She is now 6! I'm super proud of her and all that she's become in just these past six years. I can't wait to see her continue to grow and thrive and become even more awesome.

Just wanted to put a Happy Birthday shout out to my wonderful kid.

For Fun, check out my peanut through the years:
http://bwarsh.blogspot.com/2011/10/last-day-as-4-year-old.html


My little pumpkin, born October 25, 2006

My Little Pumpkin, born October 25, 2006

My big girl today, October 25, 2012

My big girl today, October 25, 2012

Up at 5am, asleep before 10pm!

Today was a better start, as I was actually up at 5:15am. Okay, honestly I woke at 4am to a stirring baby, but since he didn't wake up, I didn't get up. Dozed until 5am, and pulled myself out of bed by 5:15am. Goodness that is just so early.

I did MY stuff including a shower, prepping bottles, getting ice packs into the lunch boxes, and making my lunch. Even got a cup of coffee in.

THEN I woke up Natalya who got mad at me as it looked dark and rainy out. As if I had any control over the weather, and besides, it was dark out because the sun wasn't up yet. BUT it was an hour before she needed to leave so I thought a good time to get her going.

Get her fed, and situated, and then off to get Craig up.

And the baby is STILL asleep, so to the pump I go. I get out 10 oz. And then get dressed. Craig is still not dressed, so I gave him a bottle of the milk I just pumped and got to walk Natalya to the bus stop.

Going to admit, I really enjoyed that.

So this morning I got to take care of Natalya while Craig tended to the baby. I still got to pump and got in a shower. Yay me.

I missed not getting to nurse Zach, but it's only one morning. They're not all going to be like this, right?

Tonight will be chaos too. In fact, I'm leaving work early for a dr. apt, and then running errands before getting the kids. It's Yom Kippur and I want to take Natalya to synagogue tonight for Kol Niedre. Time to start acting Jewish.

Which means Craig and Zach get a boys night home tonight. Great for them, not so great on my breasts; and I'll miss nursing time again with Zach.

Thankfully tomorrow being Yom Kippur and having Zach home all day, I'll get my nursing fix in, so I'm truly happy for that.

And as crazy as today is going to be, I still hope to be asleep before 10pm. If I can get to bed early, 5am doesn't hurt as much.

Guess we'll see...

A cluster this morning!

So we were a cluster this morning. Zach woke up at 2am hungry. Fed him until 4am when he finally went back to sleep. Unfortunately come later in the morning, I did not hear my 2 alarms go off. I woke up at 7:22am. My daughter is supposed to be at the bus stop by 7:38am. So you can see my issue here.

I jump out of bed, get Craig up. Run out to my daughters room to find her awake (thank goodness) but not dressed or ready in the least. The clock is ticking. I have to get her dressed, fed, and to the bus stop and I'm running out of time fast. Oh and I'm leaking milk, rather, gushing milk. I'm a soggy mess. I get Taly going, and I shove her and Craig out the door to the bus stop with minutes to spare. Sure she only got to eat half a baloney and cheese sandwich, and a sip of milk, but snack times not that far off?? Rolling Eyes

Then Zach wakes up and needs to be tended too. Never mind I haven't gotten dressed yet, nor had I changed, fed, or dressed him, and we needed to leave right then and there.

At least I got my daughter to school on time and in clothes. But sending her to the school bus with a baloney and cheese isn't exactly a "healthy" breakfast... so kind of a mommy fail.

I made Craig feed Zach a bottle. Nursing would have just taken too long this morning. I pumped quickly at home to catch the spillage, and put that 5 oz bottle in the fridge. When I finally got to work and was settled, I pumped another 10 oz out. I have no idea how my breasts did not explode.

Exactly when is this new morning routine suppose to get easier??? I'm on week 3 here, and we're still a bad family comedy on the FOX network!

Long Time No See!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been over here to update my Blog! Sorry for anyone that reads this. ;)

So what's new?

I've returned to work and Zachary is now in full time day care. That's been really hard on me, but Zachary seems to be taking it all in just fine.

Natalya is doing great in Kindergarten and is really enjoying her new class and teacher. However she does also miss her pre-k friends. We're trying to keep up with the playdates for her so she can continue to be in their lives as well.

We continue to all stay pretty busy busy busy. Life as a family of four now keeps us running.

Craig and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. We went to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. We got to bring Zach with us, so he's now officially been to his first rock concert too!

Natalya also started Hebrew School and is going to Ohavi Zedek. IT was VERY difficult for me to swallow my pride and take her there, but I am convinced it's what's best for her and these are some of the sacrafices one makes for their children.

And my little Kindergartner officially now has her very own Library card. She's VERY excited about this. The school and library did a big to do giving all the 5 year old's their own cards.

And as you can see, Natalya is growing up quite nicely. She's a beautiful girl full of energy and spunk:

 

AND she now loves Sushi too!!

 and she loves being a big sister.

Zach is mostly a very happy baby boy

and we're all in love with him!

So that's a quick update on us. Hopefully I'll be back in to add more family fun before another 10 weeks pass by. :)

From Fertility Friend to "The Other Side"

Fertility Friend has been a part of my life for 8 years. I've made real and true friends there over the years, but have noticed that Fertility Friend no longer wants to be friendly. I find that kind of sad. But like many things, maybe it's time to move on.

I won't be tracking my fertile cycles anymore. I've had my tubes tied. I'm done making babies. The best I can do is offer support and tips from my 8 years of experience. But if Fertility Friend wants to spank me for having the nerve to even mention a site like mealbaby.com or mealtrain.com to a new mommy to be with no family near her to help her when her baby comes, then I have trouble even offering support in a way modern technology allows us to do now.

Many of my Due in July mommy friends agreed and as such started a new group on Facebook. It's a private and secret group which makes us difficult to find and can only join if a "facebook friend" adds you to the group.

The group is called "FF Due in July 2012". It's only for the mommies that belonged to the Fertility Friend Due in July 2012 board.

I can not mention this on Fertility Friend. I've tried, and have been banned. To try again may result in a banning for life. Don't think at this point I'd miss it, but since I do still have 200+ days left on my membership, I'd rather let it run out on it's own then before hand. Allows me time to say my proper goodbyes.

If you want to be added to our new unrestricted on what you say, post, share, group you need to send me a Friend Request. Once I get it, I will accept you as a friend, add you to the group, then unfriend you to protect your privacy and mine as well.

Anyway on Facebook I can be found by cutting and pasting this link:

https://www.facebook.com/barbara.hammond.31

See you on the other side!!

-Barbara

Zachary Vurtis Hammond - Birth Story

Better late then never...

I'm finally getting around to typing this up and sharing with you all.

As most of you know, I had a scheduled c-section due to issues and concerns with my uterus and the scarring inside. On 7/11/12, at 39w1d, we went to the hospital to have Zachary.

We got checked in to Labor and Delivery. They had me change to a gown, and got started monitoring me and baby. Then they came in to put the IV in. That was challenging. Apparently I'm difficult to stick. Ended up having to have it in my right hand. Wasn't happy about that, since I'm right handed, but it was what it was.

Walked into the OR when they were ready and hopped up to the table. That's where they tried to get the epidural in me. Apparently the only place on my body that is "skinny" is my back and spine, so she had a lot of trouble getting the epi in. 4 attempts later she kind of got it in, and then we started on the spinal. Can I just say the epi and spinal actually hurt like hell and that was with the lidocane applied EACH time.

Finally laying down and DH comes in to join the fun. They had already started when he got in to the OR so he got quite a good look at my insides. Poor DH. More of me then he'd ever had wanted to see.

Well there was some complications. The scarring was really bad. Paper thin bad. So bad that they had to make additional cuts lower and in the process, scalpeled my son's forehead on his way out. (and yes there was a LOT of blood coming out of his forehead) I also lost a lot of blood and had to have a transfusion. My blood pressure got bad and I had a horrible headache. I felt like my head was going to pop off my neck and shoulders. The pounding pressure was awful. I also felt very nauseous out of the blue. So anesthesia pumped me full of more drugs.

I heard my OB mention a problem with my bladder. I heard my son cry. I couldn't see anything. DH left my side to be with my son. I had no idea how he was. No stats. I was left to wonder was he okay? How big was he? Did he want to meet me?

I nearly passed out. About 10-15 minutes later, I still hadn't been given my son. I was really upset. Crying like a little girl. They all probably thought I was just emotional. I was mad, and sad, and confused.

Then a nurse comes up and say's "Don't worry about his toe, it can be fixed". WHAT? What's wrong with his toe? This is how I first find out something is wrong??? More crying from me.

Finally DH comes back and tells me Zachary is perfect. The OR pediatricians wave goodbye to me and confirm my son is perfect. I still haven't seen him by the way.

DH sits with me, holds my hand and they finally bring me Zachary. But only briefly, then they go back to work on me. Zachary went into a warmer I guess, and I saw him again in my room/recovery. I had to insist on skin to skin and that I wanted to nurse him right away. I was really unaware how bad "I" was. I just wanted my son.

So they got us situated and finally I got my skin to skin with my boy and started to feed him. At least I tried. It was awkward. I was so sore and couldn't understand why. Shouldn't I be full of anesthesia?

The thing was, I was in the OR so long that the anesthesia actually wore off much sooner then I thought it should had. DD's c-section was over in 30 minutes. I was apparently in the OR with DS delivery over 2 hours. I had no clue.

I finally got a chance to look at his head wound. Lots of blood, but the nurse was able to clean him up, and it wasn't as bad as it first appeared. Head wounds bleed a lot. And his toe.... he has 11 toes. His big toe on his left foot is a double big toe. And yes, we will be getting it fixed.

After finally leaving recovery and moving to my room in maternity, my stress level began to come down. But man what a long day. Didn't get settled into my room until way past 6pm and my surgery was at 1pm.

After speaking with my OB afterwards, it turns out that having the c-section really was the right call. I had unusual scarring on my bladder and my uterus was a mess. The scarring left from my myomectomy was paper thin. No exaggeration. It's so bad that had I not had a tubal ligation (tubes tied) I'd be advised to never get PG again, as the chance of a uterus rupture is highly great.

I also developed pre-eclampsia postpartum. So my blood pressure went up and my headaches were terrible, among other things. And about a week after my staples were removed from my incision, I developed an infection. So I've been having a rough go all around.

Was it worth it??? Hell yes. Zachary is a beautiful, sweet, mellow, happy baby and he's in perfect health. Sure he has an extra toe... more to love right? We are all in love. He's a delight, and we couldn't be happier.

By the way, he was born at 2:26pm, Wednesday, 7/11/2012. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.

I'm glad he's my last. I'm glad I will NEVER have to have a c-section again. I don't do c-sections well apparently and I'm happy to close that chapter forever.

We have an appointment scheduled with the orthopedic surgeon for Zach's toe the end of August and will go from there. We suspect he'll have a surgery to remove and reconstruct his foot sometime between 6 months and a year... basically before he starts walking or needs shoes for real.

My Body This Coming Week - Last Day!

My Body This Coming Week
Congratulations! You'll be a mommy very soon. You're about as big as you can get and you're also ready for your baby to be born.

Along with your pregnancy symptoms that may include discomfort, fatigue and Braxton Hicks contractions, you probably feel very excited, nervous and anxious about labor, childbirth and having a baby.

Your skin feels stretched and taut across your belly and it probably feels itchy. You may experience "pins and needles" in your legs.

If you haven't shown any symptoms of labor by week 42, your doctor or midwife may become concerned and may discuss inducing labor.

My Baby This Coming Week
Hooray! You're in your fortieth week of pregnancy and your baby is now due. Don't worry if you're still waiting as you due date passes. It's not unusual to still be waiting for your baby to be born since a normal pregnancy may last for up to another two weeks.

An average size baby now weighs about 7.5 lbs (3400g) and measures about 21.5 inches (50cm) long. Crown to rump measurement is about 14.8 to 15.2 inches (37 to 38cm). As you will see when your baby is born, these are averages only and vary from baby to baby. Your baby may weigh and measure more or less that this.

The presenting part is down in the lower portion of your uterus and pressing through your softened and partially opened cervix.

You may be surprised by the initial appearance of your baby when it is first born. Her head may be slightly misshapen from passing through the birth canal, though this usually does not last more than a day or two. Her coloring may initially appear bluish, purplish or pale yellow and she may be covered with vernix, blood, lanugo and some meconium if she passes her waste in utero. Her genitals may also be swollen due to high hormone levels that were passed from you during your pregnancy, and she may have some skin discolorations or spots which will probably fade quite quickly.

 

38w6d

Final Days.........

Not doing much today. My big outing is late this afternoon when I go to the lab to get a blood draw to match up transfusion blood - just in case.

I ordered some last minute items on Amazon this morning, which should arrive Wednesday. Some of the things are for Taly's activity bag, so I will need Craig to assemble that before bringing her over to the hospital on Thursday.

I should be in the hospital no less then 3 days with the range being 3-5. I was there 4.5 days with DD. So we'll see. Guessing I'll get to come home some time on Saturday.

I will try to update you guys from the hospital, but if not, for certain once I'm home and settled.

Any final guesses on how much he'll weigh in at??? I'm thinking 8.5 pounds and 22 inches. lol.

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
You surely feel very large and uncomfortable but you're almost at the end of your pregnancy! You can expect your weight to remain stable now. Your cervix will soften and begin to partially open. You may be having strong Braxton Hicks contractions as your uterus prepares to give birth to your baby! You're almost there!

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby probably weighs just over 7 pounds (3250g) by now and measures about 14.4 inches (36cm) from crown to rump and has a total length of about 21.5 inches (48cm).

Your baby's lungs are the last part to develop before birth. Once the lungs are developed, your baby is ready for life outside the womb.

By now your baby has almost run out of space to move in your uterus.

Your baby has shed most of her lanugo, though she may still have some on her shoulders and in the creases of her body.

Her toenails reach the end of her toes.

The umbilical cord, which still is supplying your baby with nutrition as she gains more weight, may be knotted or wrapped around her.

Some of your antibodies have crossed the placental barrier and give your baby's immune system a boost to get her started until hers is fully functioning.

Your baby could be born any day now.

38w0d!

 

Miserable

This is a vent. A rant. A "my pg suckith" kind of post.

I am beyond frustrated. DH is "tired" because he worked all weekend. DD is in a crap mood because no matter what I do for her or arrange for her its not good enough.

DH and I just got in a fight because I asked him to get a load of laundry in. It's late. 9pm. We are just eating now. We are all tired. DD still needs a shower or bath At this Rate she wont be put down until 10pm! Her bedtime is 8:30pm

We have to do laundry though and he knows this as we have NO CLEAN UNDERWEAR, and he wouldn't let me do laundry today. DDs bathing suits are all covered in sand. I tried to clean by hand but it's not working. She has to have a clean suit for camp in the morning.

So my DH is burnt out. My DD is disappointed with me. I'm in horrible pain. I think everyone would be happier if I just disappeared. I'm just in the way and everyone is mad at me.

It's not my fault. I can't help it. I tried to be a good sport. DH and DD wanted to go to a movie tonight. DH got off work at 4pm. Got home with DD by 5pm. Movie started at 6:05pm. I've had diarrhea all day! But DD really wanted me to go. So I took Imodium, get changed and suck it up.

I was in a great deal of pain, but put on my smiley face.

After the movie (closer to 8pm now) DD gets pissy because I want to get home. We decide to pick up subway sandwiches. She's mad because we take it to go.

Then on the way home DH wants to stop and watch the sunset. So we park, and he and DD go out to see it. I stay in the car with a view of a bush. I can't see the sunset at all.

We don't get home until practically 9pm!! I still haven't eaten!!

DD is in such a sour mood. July 4 is going to suck. I'm dreading it already. DD is stuck home with me all say while DH has to work. I'm "boring" as she tells me. She acts like this is the new norm. She doesn't believe me when I tell her it's temporary. She doesn't believe me that I'm in pain.

I hate disappointing her. I hate that DH is overwhelmed and tired. I hate that I hurt so much. I hate all of this. And I don't know what else to do.

There is no one else to call and help. We are all alone out here. I'm miserable and think this was all selfish of me, wanting another kid. Because all its seemed to do is piss off my family. Something that should be joyous is making every mad and sad.

Nesting Nesting Nesting

Today has turned into a nesting day. Craig is at work and Taly is away on another play date, and since I'm suppose to take it easy.... hah hah hah... I've been getting some things ready.

We have a place to diaper/change the baby, and the baby now has a functional place to sleep. Yay.

Now I'm sorting through the clothes trying to find the bigger sizes... 0-3 as it seems I'm going to need those sooner then I anticipated.

10 days left!

BEFORE NESTING:

 

AFTER NESTING:

Grounded at my 37w apt today

Had my OB apt yesterday and we're all set to move my c-section up by 1 day, so this baby is coming no later than 7/11/12! Yay.

Also got a bit of some bummer news... I have to stop working now. So I went to work after my appointments and gathered some of my things. Finalized what I could and said my goodbyes. Hard to accept I won't be back there until September. But happy to get some downtime before the chaos. Even if I have to stay off my feet.

Oh... I have moderate SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction), so no more standing, walking, running, cleaning, etc. for me. But it should all go away when the baby comes.

C-Section date may be moving up!

My head is spinning right now. My OB called and can't do my c-section on the 12th now. And because they "think" my EDD is 7/19, not 7/17 (which I know is correct based on when I ovulated) they couldn't schedule the c-section before 39 weeks exactly which by their calculation is 7/12.

So I mentioned to him that I technically am not due on the 19th. And that I stopped fighting with them over 2 days way back. He asked if I could "prove it" which of course I can. I have the chart!

There is NO WAY I made this baby 2 days later. I had Creamy CM on CD 19, and no DTD. I had EW CM on CD 17 and we DTD! It's kind of a no brainer, and it also happened on Natalya's 5th birthday (oops). So yeah, I know when this all happened. ;)


He wants me to bring my charts in on Friday and he thinks with all of this in their system we can move my c-section up to 7/11 instead and he'll be able to do the surgery! Yay.

I'm laughing because NOW an OB actually wants to see a FF chart. lol. They NEVER want to see our charts. Ha!

FX my chart will be enough. I also printed out some blog posts when I had my HPT+ on 15 dpo (by my calculation again) and my 2 beta tests, as well as the official dating scan when I notated they think I'm 6w4d when I'm really 6w6d. And all of this is date stamped from October and November.

The only thing I'm a bit worried about with my chart is that I didn't temp. But I know my cycles. Always 30-31 days long. LP always 14 days, and Ovulation always between CD15-17. And my CM backs that all up, plus my bedding. I think it's pretty conclusive.

Wonder if I should bring a couple earlier cycles too to show similar O patterns?

What's this all mean??? With a little luck and hope, I get to bring Hiccup into this world on 7/11/12 now.

I'll keep you all posted. I go in to see my OB this Friday!

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
You have probably gained around 30 lbs (13.5 kg) by now and you won't gain much more at this point. You feel tired and ready for your pregnancy to end.

You may have an unusual sensation inside your vagina when the baby's head presses against the muscles of the pelvic floor.

You may experience false labor contractions before the real contractions begin. These are not like Braxton Hicks contractions and may feel as strong as real labor. The difference between real and false labor is that false labor contractions do not become regular and often disappear when you move around. While you are likely to really have no doubt when real labor begins, you may want to call your doctor or caregiver if you think you might be in labor and then he or she can help you assess whether or not you need to head off to the hospital. It is not unusual to go to the hospital with false labor pains and be sent home again.

My Baby This Coming Week
On average, at this time, a baby weighs about 6.8 pounds (3100g) and measures about 14 inches (35cm) from crown to rump and 21 inches (47cm) total in length.

Your baby is still growing and gaining weight. Your baby may gain as much as 1 ounce (28g) a day at this point.

If your baby is a boy, his testes should have descended into the scrotum by this time. Your doctor will check that his testes have descended after delivery. About one percent of boys will have undescended testes.

Your baby has been building up waste in his intestines for the past few weeks. Called meconium, this waste is greenish-black and is made up of material from blood cell break down, shedded cells from the lining of the intestine, skin cells and lanugo shed into the amniotic fluid and swallowed, as well as other sources. Meconium is the first waste your baby passes and the first diapers that you change will probably be comprised of this greenish-black, tar-like substance. There is also a chance that your baby will excrete meconium before delivery and have some covering his body.

Full Term Baby!

Full term today!!! 16 more days and this little guy will be here! Wow!!! To say I'm excited is an understatement. 

37w0d:

Single Mom Saturday

It's been a long day. Got Craig up at 4am so he could make his 5am shift at Lowe's. Taly was sweet and let me sleep in (7:30am!) I got up and she announced she was dry! Slept for the very first time without a pull up last night and she was beaming with pride. So I decided to make her an extra special celebratory breakfast: French Toast, Blueberry's, and Sausage Links. Now mind you, I haven't cooked in the kitchen for close to 6 months now and was not at all prepared for how hot and tired that was going to make me.

But Taly loved the breakfast, so I guess it was worth it.

Of course 20 minutes later, I was the worst mom ever because I couldn't figure out how to make the VCR work. To be fair, we don't use it that often. Her grandparents (my in-laws) sent her a huge box of VHS movies... mostly Disney. So of course she really wanted to watch!!!

After tears and yelling and apologies on both sides, me and Taly made up, and I called Craig to see if he could talk me through it.

Now it's working. She and I are having a snack, then it's back to the kitchen in 1 hour to take on lunch.

I need to get some laundry done, but my body says "No". I hope to get a second wind after this snack, cause I could easily lay down for a few hours right now.

Being a single mom on a weekend when I'm this exhausted is such a challenge. I can not wait for Craig to get home. He's off at 2pm. Just over 2 hours from now.

36 week check up: a-ok

So I had my routine check up today. Kind of boring actually, but I guess no new is good news.

My BP is 128/80 (a bit higher then my normal, but not out of the range of normal for them)

No weight gain (not surprised with the puking)

Got my cervix checked... no dilation, no progression, closed up tight. And the baby's head is down.

Did have the GSB+ swab today. Will have the official results next apt., but it doesn't much matter either way since I'm having the c-section (where you automatically get antibiotics regardless) and am in the hospital a min of 3 days anyway. But it'll still be nice to know if I am or not I guess.

I asked about the "catheter" and wanted to see if there was any way I could get the spinal first before they put it in. He said that's their standard procedure, and was surprised it didn't go down that way with my DD's c-section/delivery. He added a note to my chart to say that the spinal needs to happen first! And he advised me to "Speak UP!" no worries on that one.

Next week I start the NST checks and another OB.

His final words to me were: "Stay Pregnant, see you next week!" He's got a great sense of humor.

Rocking Remote - at around 25 seconds

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
Your baby will probably "engage" in your pelvis this week, but this may happen slightly later, especially if this is your first pregnancy. This is when your baby's head drops down into your pelvis.

Pressure on your ribs and internal organs will ease when your baby engages. This is known as "lightening" and breathing and eating usually become easier again once this happens.

Your uterus is putting increased pressure on your bladder, though, so you will probably have to go to the bathroom even more often!

Your baby is still growing, so even though he has dropped, you will probably feel his feet on your breastbone again before the end of your pregnancy.

You will probably not gain much more weight during your pregnancy, but you feel pretty uncomfortable by now.

You're probably wishing this baby would be born already!

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby is now considered full term. He weighs approximately 6.5 lbs (2950g) and his total length is about 21 inches (47cm). Your baby's crown to rump measurement is about 14 inches (35cm).

By now, your baby's head may have engaged into your pelvis.

You may feel that your baby occasionally has hiccups from his "practice breathing".

Though your baby is considered full term, he is still growing and developing both his body and his brain.

He is still laying down fat at a rate of more than half an ounce every day.

 

Bike girl: And away she goes! :)

So over throwing up!!

Went out to dinner tonight to celebrate Natalya's last day of school. I finished eating, felt a burning burp, started to choke. Excused myself to the restroom, and lost all my dinner. It was horrible. I'm in a public restroom. I just know all the diners can hear me. The floor was wet so I refused to kneal. It was awkward and miserable. And the first time I have ever gotten sick like this in public. I'm mortified and now home in bed. I know I shouldn't complain. But I don't know how much more of this I can take. I suppose four more weeks. That seems an eternity away.

Stress Testing and More Fun!

Apparently I get to have stress tests twice a week starting the end of this month.

So now I get to go every week, and then twice a week for another 45 min each time!

All this scheduling is making my head spin. I guess the stress test is something my MFM group does on all the AMA's. What fun. I didn't have this with DD.

I'm hoping to go to work until the day before my c-section, but with all these new appointments, it's going to be interesting maintaining full time.

Plus... if the stress test goes poorly, up to L&D I go! Not sure how we're going to work that all out. We have one car. I'm doing all the driving right now and DH hasn't been coming to routine appointments because of time constraints with his temping and new job.

So if I drive myself to the apt, and they don't let me leave, how am I going to get DH there? And who's going to get DD???

Okay, a friend can get DD, and DH can take a cab. But I'm thinking I really need to get those bags packed and stored in the car, just in case. More now then ever.

My prenatal's are taking about an hour now, and the stress tests are anticipated to be 30-45 min. I foresee lots of hanging around the OB waiting room in between. Boring and nothing I can do about it. I can see why so many people just take the month before the baby comes off. It's a logistic headache trying to get DD, DH, and myself to/from work and daycare with this added "to-do" list.

Look at this crazy schedule:
6/22 prenatal
6/29 prenatal, wait there for 1 hour, then stress test. 1/2 my day gone.
7/3 stress test
7/6 stress test, then right into prenatal. less of my day, but still a chunk.
7/10 stress test
7/12 have the baby!

And the scheduler was on a role, she kept trying to get me more stress tests up to my EDD. I said to her if she really wanted to hear my baby's HB after the 12th, she could just use a stethoscope, since he'll be out.

TODAY'S APT STATS:
BP 110/78
WEIGHT - Up 24 pounds total.
IRON LEVEL CHECKED - NORMAL

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
You will probably now see your doctor or midwife once a week.

Now that the baby has settled lower in your abdomen, you may find breathing to be easier again. However, because your baby is now putting even more pressure on your bladder, you will have to urinate more frequently.

You may have gained up to 30 pounds or more by this point.

You are probably starting to get tired of being pregnant and you are probably focused on the birth ahead of you.

It may feel like you have been pregnant forever and you just want the baby out.

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby weighs about 6 lbs (2750g) and measures about 20.7 inches (46cm) in length. Crown to rump measurement is about 13.5 inches (34cm).

Your baby now feels lower in your pelvis.

Your baby continues to grow, kick, and move about.

Your baby's face has filled out and the cheeks now look plump and full. Fat baby cheeks are caused by fat deposits, but also by powerful sucking muscles which your baby has been honing by sucking her thumb.

Your baby's skull is firm, but it is not hard as it needs to give a little when it is passing through the birth canal.

Your baby's head is probably down by now, but about three percent of babies present in a breech (bottom down) position. Your doctor may try to turn your baby around if it is in a breech position by putting pressure on your abdomen. This is called external cephalic version (ECV) and is effective in about 50% of cases. If your baby is in a breech position, ask your doctor about what your options are for the birth. You may or may not require a cesarean delivery.

Parenting... Why It's Worth It!

With anything in life there is good with bad. BUT... the good so outweighs the bad. 


Parenting is one of the most challenging things you'll ever do, but also the most rewarding. 


The first time your baby clings to your finger. The first time your baby naps on you. The first time your toddler successfully uses the potty and the pride is overflowing off them and you. The first time your toddler says I love you and gives you an unprovoked hug... and so many more things to come. 


I'm still so in love with my daughter. And she can be a handful. At the end of the day, I still love our snuggle and story time. I love that she loves us and wants to be a part of this crazy thing called life. 


With all the ups and downs, having a child, and now two, really makes it all worthwhile. 


Won't sugar coat it... it is going to be a change. Sometimes a very challenging change (to put it mildly), but a worthwhile change. 


Your childless years are now over, on to the next great chapter... Parenthood! 

I have amazing friends!

So yeah, I'm stressed OUT! Why wouldn't I be? This baby is coming, ready or not. And I'm not ready. But out of no where a wonderful co-worker surprised me with pack n play sheets, and a bath gift set.

I'm overwhelmed.

I'm humbled.

I'm thrilled!!!

Thank you SHARON! :)

Circumcision/Bris Headache!

Back to square one. I spoke with our Rabbi and the MW Mohelet. She's perfect. Done hundreds of these in the last few years alone, and even teaches how to do them out of Tufts University. I'm on board. Let's do it.

The Rabbi is available on the date the bris would need to happen. The Mohelet is not. Asked if I changed my c-section to the 16th instead of the 12th would that work for everyone? Answer is "NO" from both.

So now what? I'm kind of mad actually. I listened to all they said and advised. I researched. Finally got to a place where I'm comfortable with this decision and nothing. I feel like I'm failing my son before he's even here. Maybe it's just my hormones, but I'm really upset now.

Craig is going back to talk to the Rabbi on our behalf to see where we go from here.

Last night when I found all of this out I was in tears. It's just all too much for me. So for now the circumcision discussion is back on "pending" and I don't know what we're going to do. I just know we need to figure it all out and soon.

34w OB check in

Had a good uneventful OB appointment today.

BP 116/72, fantastic.
Baby's HB 155 BPM.
Weight up a total of 22 pounds.

Next apt on 6/22 at 9am with Dr. Young. Will have the strep-b test done. (boo)

C-Section and Tubal scheduled for 7/12/12!

It's OFFICIAL!!!

Here's me today at 34w0d:

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
You have probably gained between 20-29 lbs (9-13 kg).

You may have continued backache as you relax the muscles supporting the joints in the small of your back.

You probably feel cramped and heavy.

You will probably find it easier to eat a little bit, but often, rather than eating large meals since your stomach is compressed.

Your ankles may be swollen and you may be having a hard time moving around. You may be able to avoid or reduce the swelling of your ankles by getting extra rest and changing positions frequently.

You are probably experiencing emotional changes along with your physical symptoms of pregnancy. If this is your first birth, you are probably becoming increasingly concerned about labor and childbirth. There's no doubt about it, though: You can do it. Knowing what to expect though can help you to feel prepared and can help you have a better birth experience so read, talk to your friends and family, your doctor and your childbirth educator about your concerns.

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby now measures about 20.25 inches (45cm) in total length and weighs around 5.5 lbs (2550g). Crown to rump measurement is about 13.2 inches (33cm).

He continues to grow and fatten up, especially in the shoulder area, and kicks regularly.

The fine lanugo hair that covered your baby is shedding, though some may still be present when your baby is born.

Your baby's eyes are blue, though this may change soon after birth or much later after birth.

Your baby's fingernails are growing. They already reach the tips of his fingers and they may even look quite long and pointy by the time he is born. Your baby may even have some scratch marks from scratching his face with his fingernails.

Your baby is probably feeling quite cramped right now and his movements are restricted by his growing size.

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
Your baby is beginning to drop in your pelvis and you may have noticed that the shape of your abdomen has changed because of this. This may also cause increased pressure in your pelvic region.

While Braxton Hicks contractions are probably becoming more regular, you may also experience false labor. This is different from Braxton Hicks contractions because false labor, unlike Braxton Hicks, can be very painful. These contractions are irregular and usually last under 45 seconds and are not sustained. If you are unsure if you are experiencing false labor, you should contact your care provider.

If your water breaks, you should contact your doctor immediately.

You may have bloody show that occurs as the cervix stretches and dilates, especially right after a vaginal exam. You may also pass a mucus plug. Neither bloody show or passing the mucus plug necessarily indicates that labor will commence right away, but it will not be far away.

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby weighs almost 5 lbs (2250 g) and is 12.8 inches (32cm) from crown to rump and about 19.8 inches (44cm) long.

If your baby were born now, she would be considered "pre-term" rather than premature. This distinction is based on fetal maturity, particularly the maturity of the fetal lungs. A pre-term baby, unlike a premature baby, is likely to have well-developed lungs and is less likely to need intensive care.

Your baby is surrounded by a red glow when sunlight shines on your belly and may be aware of this as she is able to differentiate between light and dark.

Your baby's hair is getting thicker, though it may be a different color when she is older.

She is currently shedding her lanugo, the fine downy hair that previously covered her body.

More vernix, the waxy coating that protects your baby's skin while submerged in amniotic fluid, is building up.

Your baby's adrenal glands are producing more steroid hormone, the androgen-like hormone that indirectly aids your milk production. Your baby is currently producing ten times more of this hormone than a normal adult and the adrenal glands are currently the same size as those of an adolescent. They will shrink after birth.

Your baby is laying down bone. To do this, she will draw calcium from you.

Your baby has taste buds and it has been suggested that she can taste and develop tastes for flavors found in the amniotic fluid, particularly flavors that you eat on a regular basis.

32w2d Belly Pics with Baby Cat Photobomb

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week
Your weight gain by now may be as much as 28 lbs and you are gaining weight faster than at any other time in your pregnancy. This is because your baby is growing rapidly right now. Your blood volume has increased 40% to meet your baby's needs and your uterus has grown 500 times since before you were pregnant. You may be feeling uncomfortable and feel the need to urinate frequently.You may be experiencing vivid dreams.

My Baby This Coming Week
Your baby now weighs about 4.4 lbs (2000g) and measures about 12 inches (30cm) from crown to rump and about 19.4 inches (43cm) in total. Now that your baby is running out of room in your womb, you can probably see your belly moving as your baby kicks. Your baby may dream as he sleeps and when awake he may be alert, listening, feeling and even seeing dim shapes.

Though your baby is still inside the womb, he is learning all the time as billions of neurons are making connections. Your baby is probably in his birth position by now. Your baby's lungs may be sufficiently developed by now, though if he were born now, he would probably still need an incubator to stay warm.

 

Pregnant After A Loss, How I Got Through.

After my first loss when I got PG again, I was a wreck. Every day was stressful and worry filled. I was basically paranoid and miserable. And then that did end up in a m/c loss. So now two back to back losses and I was highly determined to give it one more shot.

My first loss came in the 2nd trimester, my 2nd loss came between 8-10 weeks.

When I got PG again (this PG) I decided it is what it is. This will be my last shot and no matter what happens, "Today I am Pregnant".

I just knew that no matter the outcome, this is the last time I'm putting myself through this. The heartache of loss is too much for me to bear over and over, so if this PG is meant to be, yay, and if not, I'm going to savor every possible moment I can.

So yeah, taking it all in one day at a time works best for me. I just think about what I need to get done today. I'm not worried about tomorrow. I try not to over plan.

I got my BFP. Yay. That day I was PG
I had a beta. Yay. high HCG. That day I was PG
I had another beta. Yay, more than doubled. That day I was PG.
I had an u/s. Yay a HB. That day I was PG.

On days that I didn't have an appointment, I had a symptom. Any symptom meant that on that day, I was PG.

Doctors order labs/tests. I go to them. take them. Hopefully pass them. On the the next hurdle. But try not to think about it. It's in the calendar. That's all. No countdown tickers to the next thing. Just focus on what I have to do "today".

This was my strategy this time. I guess finding peace with it all helped too. Since I knew this was my last time, no matter what the outcome, I was going to savor, not stress.

And now I'm in the 3rd trimester. I can see the finish line, but again, not dwelling on it. Today I am PG. Hopeful to see my son soon. Knowing I won't fully let out a sigh of relief until I hold him and hear his cries.

So take it all in one day at a time and remind yourself often that "Today you are pregnant".

My Body This Coming Week

My Body This Coming Week

Your uterus now extends to about 5 inches (12cm) above your belly button. You probably continue to feel tired and may sometimes feel dizzy. You feel your baby's kicking regularly. Your baby is probably in the head down position by now and is long enough that his legs can reach your ribs. The pressure of your baby's legs can make your ribcage sore. Taking care to sit or stand straight may alleviate this discomfort somewhat. You may feel short of breath, have heartburn, round ligament pain, a stuffy nose and other pregnancy symptoms. Your pelvic joints may have expanded for the birth and this may cause some discomfort. You may feel a desire to "nest" which may make you want to bake, clean and get things in order around your home.

My Baby This Coming Week


Your baby's total length is 18.9 inches (42cm) and she is perfectly formed! She measures about 11.6 inches (29cm) from crown to rump. All she has to do is fill out more. Your baby weighs almost 4 pounds (1800g). If she were to be born now, she would still need to be incubated as she has insufficient fat stores to keep it warm.

Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.

Your baby can hear the outside world quite well now, and can also hear the sounds of your heartbeat, your digestion and the blood rushing in the umbilical cord. The pitch of women's voices are in the range babies are most able to hear over all the internal background noise. Your baby is already familiar with your voice and will be able to recognize it after birth.

     

 

Re-Scan 3D pictures

We did the scan. Better pic but terrible position. Can't control that though. And the DVD didn't record. She said we could try for the DVD again but it would be the end of may. She's all booked up. So not sure if I will bother. May be too late. 


So here are a few of the better pics.