Hospital Bag Checklist

One of the most important items on a mommy-to-be's "to do" list before the big day arrives is to pack a bag of all the necessities and nice-to-haves for her hospital stay.  This was something I procrastinated a bit on when I was expecting, partly because I hate packing and partly because I was a little overwhelmed.  I scoured the internet looking for tips on what to pack, and the lists seemed endless.  Finally, when the clock was ticking and I didn't think I had much time to spare, I got my bag packed and helped Shep with his.  Below is the list I compiled for myself, from a bunch of different sources on the web.  Feel free to use it if you're expecting {here is a printable version}, and also let me know if I've left anything off that you found helpful during your hospital stay if you've already had a baby!

For Mom-to-Be

__ ID + insurance card

__ Birth preferences sheet (3 copies) -- Just in case one gets lost/accidentally discarded!

__ 1-2 bed pillows with favorite cases -- I ended up not bringing these, and fared fine with the hospital pillows.

__ Lotion or massage oil (unscented)

__ Back massager tool

__ Soothing picture for focal point

__ Sugar-free lollipops/hard candies/lozenges for a dry mouth

__ Lip Balm for dry lips

__ Paper fan -- In case the room is hot

__ Refillable water bottle + favorite bottled water -- I am a little of a water snob so this was a treat I enjoyed!

__ Bendy straws (to drink from cup while laying down or sitting back)

__ Brown paper bag (to breathe into in case of hyperventilation) -- Luckily I didn't end up needing this!

__ Music and music playing device for labor, birth, and nursing the baby -- I worked so hard on creating my play lists during the last week before I had Emily, and then never used the music! D'oh!

__ Bathing suit top for shower during labor

__ Flip flops for shower (disposable)

__ Warm socks (disposable) -- My hospital provided slipper socks with rubber grips on them so I didn't end up needing the socks I brought or my slippers

__ Slippers (disposable)

__ Nightgown(s) that opens in the front for nursing (2) (disposable) -- I ended up just wearing the hospital gown during my entire stay, which had snap closures in the front for easy nursing access

__ Bathrobe -- I decided at the last minute to leave this home because I didn't want it to get ruined and didn't miss it at all

__ “Granny” panties and nursing bra -- I didn't end up using these either. The mesh panties that the hospital provided worked great for me, and I didn't need to wear a nursing bra in the hospital since my milk didn't come in until I got home

__ Breast pads and lanolin cream -- The hospital provided breast pads along with saline solution for soreness

__ Mouthwash, toothbrush, tooth paste, breath mints -- These will be the first step in helping you feel like a human again!

__ Shampoo, Conditioner, Face Wash, Face Moisturizer, Body Wash, Body Moisturizer

__ Hairbrush & hair ties

__ Sleep Mask & ear plugs -- Extra helpful if you have to share a room

__ Makeup -- I didn't end up using this at all..... not even for our first photos with Emily taken by the hospital photographer, which I now regret. ;)

__ A notepad and pen to record important information -- It's amazing how quickly things can happen and how details and information can get forgotten quickly in the post-birth chaos/excitement.

__ Comfortable / loose clothes and shoes to wear home -- You will still look pregnant, so stretchy pants and a loose top are musts!

__ Bag for taking extra items home -- The hospital provided us with a cloth bag to take supplies home and we still needed our extra bag! They really stocked us well before we left! {More about that on a coming post!}

For Your Partner

__ Snacks for labor (yogurt, nuts, bars, dried fruits) & drinks -- It's important for the coach to stay energized.... though probably not a great idea for your partner to eat in front of you if you're not allowed to. ;)

__ Electronic devices (e.g., phone, tablet) + chargers

__ Reference handouts from childbirth class -- In case you forget any breathing or relaxation techniques!

__ Camera + spare battery for birth and baby photos and video

__ Change of clothing & pajamas

__ Toiletries, including razor

__ Glasses/contact case/saline/eye drops

__ Baby name books -- If like us you're totally unprepared to name your newest favorite tiny person!

__ Swimsuit & t-shirt, flip flops (in case mom-to-be wants to stand in shower during labor)

__ Towels for shower (optional) -- The hospital towels are less than soft, but we didn't end up having room in either of our bags to pack our own towels so we fared with the hospital ones.

__ Magazines & pens

__ Change for vending machines

__ Money for food delivery / take out

__ Prescriptions

For Baby

__ Blanket & beanie hat for hospital photos -- Doesn't need to be anything elaborate, but if you have a blanket or outfit or headband or hat that is special to you, bring it for baby's first photos!

__ Going home outfit w/ legs, including a hat, socks and receiving blanket -- It's important for baby's outfit to have legs so that you can strap the baby properly into the carseat. Newborn babies don't hold their body temperature well, so it's important to ensure you dress baby warmly enough... layers are helpful. I read that it's best to dress baby in the amount of clothing you'd be comfortable in and then add one more layer, like a thin blanket.

__ Car seat already installed in the back seat of the car -- Check with your local police station, fire department or hospital if you need help installing it or getting it checked to ensure it's installed properly! You don't want to wait until the last minute for this!

__ Information of pediatrician on note card -- The hospital will need this information; we found it easiest to just hand them a card with the information on it rather than repeating it to different hospital staff members.

__ Baby memory book (for footprints) -- We didn't end up doing this, but I've heard that some hospitals will put baby's footprints directly into the memory book if asked. They need to take baby's footprints anyway for their own records, so save yourself the mess of applying ink to baby when you get home! ;)

Well, that's my recommended list!  So tell me, experienced moms -- what did I forget???  :)

39 Week Check-Up

My blood pressure was normal and according to the office measurements I've gained 2 pounds since last week.  Dr. S said it's likely just bloat, so nothing to be concerned about, but I actually don't think I gained that much in a week.  I've been weighing myself in the morning undressed each week, which is a bit more reliable than getting weighed after a yummy lunch.  ;)

According to the doctor I'm 80% effaced, 2 cm dilated and station is between 0 and 1 {"nice and low"}.  She also said that according to my chart, I was only 1/2 cm dilated last week, not the full 1 cm I thought I was.  I guess Dr. H was trying to be generous last week.  ;)  Baby's heart rate is in the 140s/150s.

At my request, Dr. S felt around my abdomen to predict the baby's approximate size.  "It's not a small baby" was her response {gulp!}, and her guess was "a little over 7 pounds, maybe just 7 pounds".  We will see if she's right when baby appears!  {Though judging by the watermelon-sized tummy I'm sporting; my guess of baby's size would be much higher!}

Source

My due date is coming up this Sunday, so if baby doesn't make an appearance before next Wednesday
5/28, I'll be getting a "non-stress test", which is an ultrasound and fetal monitoring, just to make sure everything looks good.  If by chance baby doesn't show him/herself by June 1, which will be 41 weeks, then they'll induce me that night.  According to Dr. S., she doubts this will happen.  While I've been feeling really nervous the past couple days about whether or not I'm ready for this baby to pop out, I realized when the doctor gave me the info that I certainly don't want to be induced.  So, hopefully baby will decide it's ready to get the show on the road before the end of the day on June 1!

39 Weeks!

. . . and still in one piece!  For now.  ;)

Source: The Bump

Coincidentally, we saw a watermelon in Target today!  So of course Shep picked it up and we had to snap a photo.  Yeah, we're that weird couple.

See the resemblance?

It's just about the same size!

This may very well be my last week of pregnancy, and the not knowing is hard to handle!  All day Thursday I had a really weird really nervous feeling.  I couldn't even sit down and watch TV like a couch potato, despite numerous attempts!  I was pacing around and felt like I was going to jump out of my skin with suspense!  It felt like one of those thriller movies where the girl walks down a dark hallway with creepy music playing and a boogeyman jumps out from around the corner.  Except there was no music, and instead of a boogeyman we're expecting a really cute cuddly baby to make an appearance.  But you get the point.  ;)  I felt like I could have just screamed out loud, and I almost did!  I felt like I was walking around on egg shells all day!  I mean, I'm still nervous about the whole labor and delivery thing, but Thursday I felt like I was going to BURST.  Good thing that overwhelming fear has subsided a bit.  Don't get me wrong... I'm definitely looking forward to meeting this little guy or girl, I'm just not in any rush to do so!

No contractions so far {that I can feel anyway}!  I've had a little heartburn, and some more pelvic pressure though.  Since Thursday I've been really sluggish and tired every day, even though I've actually been sleeping pretty well these last few nights, surprisingly!  I haven't had the "nesting" burst of energy that I've read so much about though, so maybe it's not yet time.  Or maybe I won't get it?  It's anybody's guess really!

Today's To Do List

Thanks to getting up to pee a bunch of times, random bouts of insomnia throughout the night, and being uncomfortable while laying down, I didn't get much sleep last night.  There are probably at least a couple things I should try to get done at home, but I'm pretty tired today so I've decided to go with this to-do list instead...

Source

Hurry Up and Wait

As of yesterday afternoon, I'm 80% effaced and 1 cm dilated.  Baby's head is at Station 0.  Labor could begin any day, or it could still be a couple weeks away.  I'm an information kind of person.  I need data, and lots of it -- the more, the better.  It makes me feel informed; helps me to know what to expect.  The funny thing about this information though, is it doesn't really mean anything!  Women have gone from 0 cm to 9 cm dilated in hours, while some women walk around 2 or 3 cm dilates for weeks.  It's a good sign that my body is starting to prepare for labor, but yet still there is no telling where or when it will be "show time"!  It could be tonight, tomorrow, or early June.  Talk about suspenseful!  ;)

I recently came across this blog post, which I thought was an interesting description of the last days or weeks of pregnancy:

The Last Days of Pregnancy: A Place of In-Between
http://www.mothering.com/community/a/the-last-days-of-pregnancy-a-place-of-in-between

While I can definitely relate to the painful pelvis, squished bladder and swollen ankles, I don't really feel "irrelevant".  I mean, now that almost everything on our to-do list is complete, and I'm in my third week of maternity leave, it's kind of odd sitting around just waiting to go into labor.  But I so appreciate this quiet time, and I'm so lucky to have a job that offers me this "waiting time" maternity leave.  I know I will not have this much time to myself for a very, very long while, if ever again.  :)  I savor each 20-minute shower I take each day.  And staying in bed in the morning after Shep has gone to work for the day.  Sure, it gets a little boring at times, but I won't complain.  In fact, I think it's good for me.  This afternoon I felt especially tired, and I'm thankful I get to be lazy on the couch when I need to be.  I'm trying to get in as much R&R as possible, while I still have the chance!

38 Weeks!

Hello, pumkpin!

Source: The Bump

Symptoms:

In terms of symptoms, I still have a bit of swelling in my right foot, but I've noticed it's actually not as bad if I walk around outside for a bit or keep my foot elevated while sitting.  I'm also still having that PMS-achy feeling in my abdomen, mostly at night.  The doctor said last week that this might be my version of Braxton Hicks contractions.  I was surprised by this diagnosis because it doesn't actually feel like a tightening or contracting of my uterus though so much as a light ache, but this does make sense given that the body naturally releases more oxytocin at night, and that's when I typically feel it.  Though I'm thankfully down to about 3 potty breaks a night on average these days {from 6, phew!}, I'm still having a bit of difficulty sleeping because I can't get or stay comfortable for long thanks to these lovely aches.  I've been alternating between laying on my side and propping myself up against the wall using a husband pillow, trying my best not to wake hubby too much as I toss and turn around, since he's still got to get up for work every morning!  It helps a lot that I'm able to sleep late in the morning; I find this is when I get most of my sleep so I actually don't feel as exhausted as I was feeling a couple weeks ago.

Shockingly, baby is still very active and moving around a lot, despite the fact that it must be cramped quarters in there!  I'm glad this little one is still having a jolly good time in my belly; I just hope s/he keeps its head down!  I'm really curious to see how squirmy and squigly this baby is outside of the womb, and whether the "real world" activity level will be the same or totally different than in utero!

So far, no signs of labor that I can determine.  We'll see what the doc says tomorrow though!  I'm certainly not in a hurry; practically though I'm not sure how much longer I can walk waddle around carrying this pumpkin before I tip forward!  I'm huge!

Bump Watch Alert!

To-Do List:

In other news, we have made some EXCELLENT progress on our to-do list over the past several days.  Here's where things currently stand:

Baby Prep To-Do List:

• Finish baby shower thank-you notes
• Type out birth preferences sheet & put in hospital bag
• Print out calming photos to use as focal points
• Pack my hospital bag
• Pack Shep's hospital bag
• Install baby's car seat
• Get postpartum supplies for me
• Finish washing and putting away baby's clothes & linens
• Assemble glider & ottoman
• Assemble baby swing
• Assemble baby stroller
• Buy small bookshelf for baby's new library {it still needs to be painted but that can wait!}
• Review childbirth class materials & practice breathing/relaxation techniques {in progress}
• Prepare short list of baby names {in progress}
• Create song play list for delivery room {in progress}

P.S. -- If anyone reading has yet to fill out your hunch about baby's gender and arrival information, time is ticking!  :)

37 Weeks

37 weeks and still in one piece!

Source: The Bump

It's funny how wide of a span each different baby's weight could be at this point.  A 3 pound difference is a HUGE difference for a newborn!  The entire pregnancy, the one thing I've consistently wished for is a healthy baby.  But recently I also added "not too large" to that wish list.  ;)

Symptoms:

• I definitely feel increased pressure in my abdomen.  It doesn't seem there's much room at all left in there for this little one -- I'm pretty sure I feel every stretch, wiggle and turn from baby these days!  Lately I've felt some kicking up near my left rib, especially the past couple days, though I can't imagine there's much room in there for acrobatics at this point!
• I'm still waking up to pee an average of 5-6 times a night, so haven't been getting much sleep {which explains why I look so, as Shep very gently put it last night, "tired and worn out"}.  I just keep telling myself that this is extra good practice for the sleep deprivation I'll be getting over the next several months once this little guy or girl makes an appearance, and practice makes perfect!
• My right foot has been swelling on a daily basis over the past week.  According to my OB, it's common for women to experience swelling more on one side than the other, especially if the uterus is tilted toward that side, which can apparently happen.  I guess that makes sense since the baby's back and butt appear to be on my right side {which are the heavier parts} and the legs/feet appear to be on the left.  But, as long as there is no pain or tenderness in the calf, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.
• I've been having a weird pressure feeling in my head when I lay down at night.  It almost feels like the kind of head rush you'd get from being upside down, even though my head is not actually lower than my body in the bed.  According to my OB, as long as I don't have any vision changes or increased blood pressure, it shouldn't be a concern.  Boy, is it a weird and slightly disconcerting feeling though!

This week's check-up was relatively uneventful, which is very good news at this point!  My blood pressure was nice and low, weight gain is good, GBS test was negative {hooray!}, fundal height measurement was "on target", baby's heart beat was a strong 140, and my cervix is still closed {phew!}... all in all a positive report!  After my appointment I treated myself to a manicure to celebrate.  ;)

Bump watch alert!

To-Do List Update

We're making sloooow but steady progress on our to-do list!  Shep got the pack 'n play with changing station and mini rocker together:

And I got some tiny baby clothing laundry done!

I also washed the baby's crib skirt, sheets, changing pad covers, burp cloths and receiving blankets!

To-Dos Still On the Agenda:

• Write and send out baby shower thank-you notes (1/2 way done)
• Purchase remaining items for and pack my hospital bag
• Install baby's car seat (Wednesday)
• Review childbirth class materials & practice breathing/relaxation techniques  (in progress)
• Fill out birth preferences sheet (in progress)
• Prepare short list of baby names (in progress)
• Wash baby's crib skirt, sheets and changing pad covers
• Start washing baby's clothing!
• Finish washing and putting away baby's clothes
• Create song play list for delivery room

That's my to-do list.  Shep also needs to assemble the glider for me and the baby's swing.

You know what they say.... slow and steady wins the race.  Hopefully baby doesn't beat us to the finish line!  ;)

36 Weeks

Helllloooooooooo Honeydew!  {Picture that in Oprah's signature voice.}

Source

Symptom tracking:

• Trouble sleeping: Sunday and Monday nights were particularly bad.  I simply could not get comfortable, no matter how many pillows I used, how I proppsed myself up, or how many times I tossed and turned.  Sunday morning I got up out of bed at 6:30 am after I realized laying there was not going to induce more sleep.  Yesterday morning I willed myself to go back to sleep from 5 am - 6:30 am, and finally did for an hour or so at about 8 am.  Thankfully, last night brought a bit more sleep and I was able to sleep some more this morning after Shep left for work, so I'm feeling semi-normal again today.  I guess on the bright side maybe this practice with lack of sleep will make the frequent feedings less hard since I'm already used to being a zombie? Maybe? I'm hoping. ;)
• Swelling in right foot/ankle:  I've been lucky in that I haven't had to deal with much swelling so far during this pregnancy.  But, over the past week or so I've definitely noticed some puffyness, especially in my right foot, on almost a daily basis.  I've been gulping down extra water and propping my foot up when I notice it to help ease the swelling.  Yesterday the swelling was pretty bad; I'd say the worst it has been to date.  But, today it's better.  I'm just thankful I haven't had to deal with this throughout more of the pregnancy.... I feel for women pregnant in the hot summer!
• Frequent peeing:  Like, 6 times per night!!!  It's insanity.  But it's expected and normal, so I'm trying to be cool with the many potty trips that are definitely not helping me sleep any better.  :)

In other news, baby has dropped!  WOOHOO!!!!  Shep and I have been a bit concerned about that since I've still felt a lot of moving around and what I thought was kicking way down low as recent as this past weekend.  But, according to my OB, the baby's head is in the down position {let's hope it stays that way!} and is in my pelvic area where s/he belongs, which was a big relief for us to hear!  When I asked the doctor if this meant baby might be coming soon, her response was:  "Nope, it just means you have a nicely-shaped pelvis".  Um, thanks I think??  Due to this new development, it's a bit easier to breathe {yay!}, but those many potty trips are becoming even more frequent {if that's even possible!}.  According to the Pampers website, my uterus is now 1,000 times its original volume!  Wowzers!  From here on out, I will have weekly doctor visits until baby arrives!

This week I got my Group B streptococcus (GBS) test, and the results will be ready by my next appointment.  If I test positive, they'll administer antibiotics to me through an IV for at least 4 hours before baby is delivered, to prevent the bacteria from passing to baby during delivery.  According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately 25% of healthy adult women carry this infection.  Though the bacterial infection is not harmful to adults, if passed to baby it can cause severe breathing and other complications, which is why physicians include GBS testing as a routine part of prenatal care during the late third trimester.

To-Dos on the agenda:

• Write and send out baby shower thank-you notes
• Purchase remaining items for and pack my hospital bag
• Wash and put new waterproof mattress pad on our bed
• Pre-register with the hospital {turns out my OB office did this for us; score!}
• Install baby's car seat
• Review childbirth class materials & practice breathing/relaxation techniques
• Fill out birth preferences sheet
• Prepare short list of baby names
• Wash baby's crib skirt, sheets and changing pad covers
• Start washing baby's clothing!

My first week of maternity leave is going pretty well.... I haven't really gotten much done at home yet this week, but I have been able to catch up on some television, keep my foot propped up, do a little bit of laundry, and start writing out my baby shower thank-you notes.  I still have lots more to do, but I'm taking things one task at a time.  Either it will all get done, or it won't!  Baby doesn't care whether the to-do list is complete or not... s/he will make an appearance when ready!  :)

Bump Watch Alert:
Whoa, belly!

Last Day at Work

Friday was my last day of office work for a while.... the next few weeks will be spent prepping and waiting for baby to make an appearance, and then the real work will begin..... motherhood!

In honor of the occasion, my incredibly sweet hubby made me a sash to wear!

my "last day" sash

Yes, it's made from toilet paper and a sharpie marker.  But let me tell you -- I was pretty impressed with his creativity and craftiness seeing as he made that gorgeous sash in the 2 minutes before we walked out the door on Friday morning!  ;)  I did wear it for a little bit toward the end of the day {though unfortunately don't have a photo to share} but otherwise proudly displayed it on my monitor.  :)

This may sound odd, but I'm going to miss my co-workers!  Don't get me wrong -- I'm so grateful that my company provides me with pre-baby maternity leave... I think it is a very generous policy and I certainly need the time at home to decompress from the corporate world, write out thank-you notes for all the wonderful gifts we received at my baby shower, practice my breathing and relaxation techniques for labor, and try to get our apartment in order before our newest family member arrives.  And I'm definitely looking forward to attempting to relax a bit over the next couple weeks instead of dealing with contract redlines or deadlines on a daily basis.  But, the truth is that I consider the teammates I work with my friends, and I'm going to miss them on a personal level!

A couple weeks ago, the entire group of my NY colleagues {and some from CA as well!} hosted a surprise baby shower for me at work.  The fact that all of these incredibly busy people took an hour out of their super-jam-packed schedules to come eat pie with me and send me off with the very best well wishes meant so much.  They also contributed money and presented Shep and me with a VERY generous gift card!  I was so surprised, humbled and grateful, all at once.  I'm telling you... I could not ask for a nicer group of people to work with.

I received so much support outside of my NY working group as well!  One of my former teammates from CA who now works in another group sent me a super cute cookie monster onesie, and another of my CA colleagues sent me an adorable yellow "bear" hoodie, complete with ears!

Source

Then there were these beautiful flowers that arrived on my desk out of the blue on Tuesday afternoon...

And on Friday morning this little package of muslin swaddle blankets appeared!

How could I not miss working with such thoughtful people like this?!  And, no, it's not just because they bought me presents.  ;)  They are super smart, but fun and caring people.  The good news is that my office is only a train ride away.  Once baby arrives, I can take him or her to meet the team over lunch, and I've let them know that our door is open for visits as well!

I'll admit -- I've been counting down to this "no more work" day for so long now, but it was a bit surreal waking up today and realizing that I could in fact stay in bed as long as I wanted!  It was odd to just lay around while Shep got dressed and left for work.  But, I think it's something I can get used to.  That is until the little one arrives and then there will be no more sleeping in!  :)

Happy Maternity Leave To Me!

Baby Class

Nicole may have mentioned that we have been taking a birthing class at our hospital for the past few weeks. We learned what to expect during the stages of labor (early, active, and transition and pushing), breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. We (meaning me) learned how to diaper and change a baby. We didn't have any live models, but the dolls they provided were life-like enough. Nicole said I did a great job changing and diapering the baby, even though I got the tape stuck to the diaper a few times. I held the baby like the instructor said to, and supported the neck (which was better than another expecting father in the class who held his "baby" like a sack of concrete). Nicole even tried to bump up the difficulty level for me by jiggling the baby doll while I changed it so as to simulate a more life-like changing experience. At one point, I said to her: "come on, unless this baby is getting changed in an earthquake, I think you're going overboard on the jiggling". Right??

35 Weeks

Source: The Bump

We made it to 35 weeks, and our baby is currently the size of a COCONUT?!?!  Wow, that's huge!!!  No wonder why it's increasingly hard for me to get out of bed from a laying position -- I basically have a small bowling bowl inside my mid-section weighing me down!

By now, baby's hearing should be fully developed, and according to The Bump s/he apparently responds best to high-pitched noises.  I guess that's good since I've been trying to shriek sing to baby more often.  ;)  In all seriousness, I have been reading aloud to baby more frequently, so I hope my voice is getting through!

I've been reading a Dr. Seuss book that my best friend sent me as a gift when she first learned I was pregnant.  It's a compilation of various Dr. Seuss stories, adapted for the baby-to-be, and is quite adorable!

Source

My favorite part is the end; I get a little teary each time I read it.  Here's a little excerpt so you can see how sweet it is:

It's a scrumptulous world

and it's ready to greet you.

And as for myself . . .

well . . .

I can't wait to meet you!

In terms of symptoms, I am SUPER tired -- mainly because I've been waking up as many as SIX times per night to pee.  Yes, SIX!!!!!!  It's quite ridiculous really.  I've also noticed over the past week or so that my ankles and feet {my right side in particular} has started swelling more frequently; a couple times per week.  When I notice it happening, I elevate my feet and try to drink additional water.... but some times it feels like I'm going to float away if I drink any more!  I have felt some pressure on my abdomen wall, but I don't think I've had any Braxton Hicks contractions yet -- it feels more like the baby stretching out or pushing against me.  I'm definitely waddling and wiggling when I walk, even despite my best efforts not to.  Interestingly, the four flights of stairs I climb ever morning from the train when going to work have gotten harder on my legs {because I'm lugging more weight}, but I don't find myself as out of breath as I once did!  Other than that, I've had a couple twinges of back/hip pain when I stand too quickly from the sitting position; but luckily nothing too bad so far.  I'm sure that will get more interesting over the next few weeks though as my belly continues to grow!  The only other weird new thing I've been noticing is that when I lay down at night to go to bed, I get a weird head rush / head pressure sensation, along with more noticeable heart beats, almost like palpitations.  It only lasts for a minute or two, and I assume it's related to my increased blood and fluid volume, but I'm going to ask my doctor about it at next week's appointment just to be sure.

This is my last week at my job before my maternity leave starts -- I can't believe I only have 2 more days!!  I think it will be bittersweet for me -- I consider all of my teammates friends and will miss seeing and talking to them on a regular basis.  But, I'm also looking forward to having some time to myself before baby arrives to get our home in order {i.e., try to cure the "reverse robbery" situation we currently have on our hands}, brainstorm some baby names, relax and sleep in more while I still can, wash the baby's linens and clothes, and generally prepare as much as possible for our little one's arrival.  We'll see once I stop "working" whether I:  (a) get bored staying at home alone, (b) turn into a total couch potato who refuses to get dressed, or (c) actually get anything from our to-do list accomplished.  I'll be honest -- it might be a combo.  ;)

And on that note, here's my 35 week bump watch photo!

34 Weeks

Hello butternut squash baby!

Source: The Bump

Sounds like our little one is chunking up, which is great!  It's amazing how quickly these little guys and gals grow in the last trimester -- it seems like just yesterday we were looking at photos of apple seeds and blueberries and now we've graduated to a butternut squash!  Wow!

I had my 34 week OB appointment today, and everything looks good!  My blood pressure is healthy, and my fundal height is apparently right on target.  According to the doctor's records I've gained 1 pound in 3 weeks {which she said was fine}, though my own tracker shows a 3 pound increase in 3 weeks.  {It's funny how the time of day and clothing can really mess with your weight measurements!}  The little one's heart beat was a strong 158 -- music to my ears!

Speaking of music, according to The Bump I better start singing some lullabies to my belly!  I'll admit something -- I LOVE to sing!  I always say that if I could have any skill in the world, it would be a singing voice -- some combination of Faith Hill, Martina McBride and Celine Dion would be my ideal!  Alas, I do not, so I keep my performances to the shower and the car.  ;)  This mostly means that Shep is the only one lucky enough to enjoy suffer through my mini concerts, but it looks like Baby will be joining his or her daddy {unwillingly} in the front row of my own personal sing-a-long.  ;)  I'll know I'm really off key if I start getting kicked as a result....  I think that's the baby equivalent of throwing rotten tomatoes.  ;)

Not much new in terms of symptoms -- I've been doing okay on the nausea front, though have had a couple days here and there of queasiness.  Overall though, it's still a marked improvement over what was going on from weeks 6.5 through 32, so I can definitely live with it!  :)  I've had a little bit of foot and ankle swelling, but nothing that bad, so far {knock on wood!}; though I did have to leave my engagement ring at home one day last week for the first time because my fingers were a bit puffy in the morning.  Luckily by the afternoon they were back to size.

This weekend Shep and I went on a baby-buying binge.  We went out to purchase a crib mattress and then spent over 6 hours shopping and buying.  By the time we got home (a) my ankles were totally swollen and (b) I was surprised I didn't get a fraud alert on my credit card!  In all seriousness, our living room currently looks like we are the victims of a reverse robbery.  For those of you not familiar, this would be when a burglar goes to Buy Buy Baby, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond and Babies 'R Us, obtains several very large bags of baby supplies, breaks into our apartment, dumps the goods and then takes off.  ;)  Until I finally semi-organized the stuff last night, we couldn't even get to the couch without leaping over clothes, crib sheets, and other random newborn paraphernalia!  It's funny how a baby so small could already own so much stuff!!!  Hopefully it will all come in handy though -- I know the diapers and burp cloths will, that's for sure!  ;)

33 Weeks

33.5 weeks down, nobody-knows-how-many to go!!!  This week, baby graduated to the size of a durian {whatever that is}.  I've realized lately as we graduate through the fruit bowl comparisons that my fruit knowledge is seriously lacking...  maybe once the little one arrives, I can read to him or her about all these unique kinds of fruits.  :)

Source: The Bump

According to The Bump baby tracker, our baby could weigh as much as 5.5 pounds and be over 18 inches long?!  WOWZERS!!!  That length is incredible to imagine, especially since Shep was about that same length when he was born!  Baby definitely feels heavy in there, but 5.8 pounds is a LOT to think about carrying around in my belly every day!  No wonder I have a little slow waddle going on.  ;)

The kicking has slowed down a bit as compared to what it was earlier on in the pregnancy, but I definitely still feel a lot of movement -- mostly what feels like baby stretching out, or turning around, or doing some kind of country line dance in there.  Now that we're almost at the 34 week mark, we're starting to hope that baby gets itself in the head-down position like s/he is supposed to, in time for birth!  Right now it feels like the baby's body is entirely in the lower half of my beach ball bump, but I can't really tell which position s/he is laying in, and s/he still seems to be rotating around a bunch.  Apparently that's still normal for this stage in pregnancy, and hopefully there is still plenty of time for the little one to get in the right position.

We've completed 3 birthing classes already, and only have 2 more to go.  This past weekend our moms hosted a baby shower for me, and today my co-workers surprised me with a shower at work!  The nursery furniture is coming on Saturday, we have our maternity photo shoot on Sunday, and we met with 3 different doulas this week.  We may still be 15 items behind in our baby to-do list, but we're getting there -- slowly but steadily!

In terms of symptoms, not much new.  I've noticed a little bit of swelling around my ankles on and off on various days, and yesterday was the first time my fingers were a bit swollen -- I went to work sans engagement ring just to be safe in case the swelling got worse, but luckily it got better as the day progressed.  It's harder to walk quickly, but I'm still making it up those 4 flights of stairs from the train platform every morning!  My "baby brain" is getting worse -- I keep forgetting things!  My back doesn't really hurt that much, and my nosebleeds have slowed down for the time being = both good things.  I haven't been sleeping great though, and I notice that when I sleep on my left side, my left ear hurts so badly when I wake up.  Weird, huh?!  I hate to say it, but my nausea may be coming back.  I've felt particularly pukey yesterday and today, though don't think I've been eating or drinking anything different to cause it.  Let's hope it's just a couple bad days due to lack of sleep and too much stress at work, and that I get more than a 1-week reprieve from this darn nausea throughout this pregnancy!

Thank you all so much for the supportive words and prayers for my grandma!  Thankfully she was released from the hospital last Friday, and has been in good spirits since then.  Her short-term memory is still really bad, and getting worse, but I guess that's to be expected when you're 92.  :)  At least she can laugh about it with us, and she still knows who we are!  I'm just thankful that she's feeling better and is back in her home, although I was super bummed that she didn't make it up north for my shower.

32 Weeks

Hello, baby squash!

I can't believe I'm carrying a 4 pound baby inside of me!  Well, truth be told it feels pretty darn crowded in there, so I guess I can.  ;)  I can only imagine how crowded baby feels in there!

I still feel a fair bit of movement on a regular basis, so I guess it's not too crowded in baby's living quarters!  Though the interesting thing is that the kicks or jabs, or whatever they are, are mostly down low.  Does that mean baby hasn't turned upside down yet?  I'm trying not to stress because I know there's still time, but I hope when the time comes that this little kicker is in the correct head-down position!

Not much new in terms of symptoms, EXCEPT..... {drum roll please} ..... I HAVEN'T REALLY FELT NAUSEOUS ALL WEEK!!!  Can you believe it?!  I've been afraid to say it out loud or even write it down -- quick, everyone knock on a piece of wood! -- but maybe week #32 is my lucky break!  It's already Friday, and it's been smooth tummy sailing since Sunday, which marked the start of my 32nd week!  I have had some reflux, but I can totally deal with that.  Shortness of breath?  Cake walk!  Not even the seasonal allergies that paraded into town this week, or the zits which refuse to be evicted from my face can get me down - nope!  If my nausea stays away for the next 8 weeks or so I will be OH SO HAPPY!!!  Even though I'm still super fatigued {thanks to waking up to pee 2-3 times per night and not really being able to find a comfortable sleeping position} I've felt like more of a functioning human over the past 5 days than I have been in the past 6 months!  Man, that nausea really dragged down my productivity!

Despite feeling pretty OK in the tummy acid department, things have been pretty stressful this week between trying to prep for baby at home, trying to finish the insurmountable mountain of work I face at my job, and being scared for my grandma who is 92 years old and was hospitalized Sunday night due to fluid build-up resulting from the congestive heart failure she's dealt with for the past couple decades.  Baby prep and work were already bringing me to the edge of my sanity; hearing my grandma so out of it on Sunday when I spoke to her on the phone was enough to push me over the edge.  Luckily, she's been on IV in the hospital and has been feeling a bit better over the course of the week, but it's still frightening.  My grandma {or Babci as we lovingly call her} and I are two peas in a pod -- Shep always jokes that I am "Babci Jr.".  Needless to say it's been a hard week.  I am hoping to God that she gets better and gets released soon.  She lives in VA near my uncle, so I don't get to see her too often and I was really looking forward to her visit up here this weekend for my baby shower.  Alas, that's not going to work out and I'll be honest, I'm really disappointed.  At this point in my pregnancy, I can't even really travel down there to see her.  But I just keep praying that she gets better and will be able to come up to visit once this little baby squash is born!  My brother had a dream earlier this week, and in the dream our grandma was holding my baby.  Of course the first thing my mom and I both asked was "was it a boy or a girl"?!  Bro didn't know that detail {men!}, but I really hope his dream comes true.  All prayers and positive thoughts you ladies can muster would be much appreciated!


P.S. -- Sorry to get your hopes up with my April Fool's prank!  Shep didn't think anyone would fall for it, but I guess I'm more convincing than he thought!  I'm not really known for my pranking skills, but the idea came to me spontaneously and I just ran with it -- sorry for tricking all of you!  xo

31 Weeks

I am officially 31 weeks and 2 days pregnant, and our little one is currently the size of a pineapple!

I had a regular OB check-in today, and Shep and I were both a bit curious as to how I'd measure.  Last time I was measuring a tad on the large side, and I feel like I've only grown a lot more since then.  The fundal height measurement came in at 29 cm, which the doctor felt was perfectly normal.  According to this chart on Wikipedia, 29 cm falls within the normal range for 31 weeks gestational age, and is just slightly larger than the average of 28 cm.  Phew!  To date, I've gained a little over 21 pounds, and 7 inches around my belly.

In terms of symptoms, it's mostly been more of the same.  In odd news, my belly button for some reason decided to turn into an "innie" again late last week, but it's currently back to being an "outtie".  ;)  I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw in the towel on acupuncture, because of the 4 sessions I've tried, only 1 session really provided relief from the nausea and even that was short-lived.  The only new issues I've been dealing with are the 2 gigantic zits that have recently taken up residence on my face, and a bit of ankle/foot swelling that occurred 1 or 2 days last week.  The dr. did comment with surprise today during my check-up that I'm still wearing my wedding and engagement rings, so I guess I should be glad my hands aren't {yet?} swelling!  Back pains are coming and going with a little more frequency; and I've been having a harder time sleeping lately due to not being able to find a comfortable position, waking up 2-3 times a night to pee, and waking up realizing that I'm laying on my back which I'm not supposed to do.  I'm having a bit more trouble walking around and climbing the 4 flights of stairs I tackle exiting the train station on my way to work every morning, but I think that's to be expected.  I want to keep walking around and getting that little bit of stair-climbing cardio in as long as possible, so we'll see how much longer I can hang in there!  If it gets too hard, I can always adjust my morning commute.

My due date is May 25th, exactly 2 months from today -- yikes!  And, my maternity leave begins in just 1 month.  I only have 23 more business days of work left before leave -- woohoo!!!

Pediatrician? Check!

Well, we can cross one more thing off our to-do list!

Source

We were both a little surprised when we started seeing "interview a pediatrician" in various pregnancy books and online checklists.  Do people really interview doctors before signing up?  This was news to us, and at first seemed a bit odd.  But after checking around we realized it was common practice, so we decided to hop on the bandwagon.  Apparently even the doctors' offices {at least in our area} expect and sometimes even require to meet and chat with soon-to-be parents before the baby is born.

There is no one "right" way to meet with a potential pediatrician.  Different people with differing personalities have different approaches on this, I'm sure.

- Some people may not care much about getting specific questions answered as much as just meeting the doctor face-to-face and seeing if his/her personality matches your preferences (e.g., talkative, straightforward, etc).

- Depending on your individual preference, you may want a doctor that will advise you on issues that fall outside strict medical visits (e.g., breastfeeding, sleep training, etc.) or you may want a doctor that doesn't have strong views on these topics, so you don't feel pressured to follow their advice and instead feel comfortable making your own choices in those matters.

- The most important thing to you may be choosing a doctor's office that has extended/weekend/evening office hours and/or multiple locations, which makes last-minute sick visits easier to schedule.  Similarly, it may be important for you to choose an office that encourages email contact and/or electronic scheduling.  Or, these things might not be among your list of priorities!

- You may want to dive deep into specific questions, to ensure that the doctor's advice and opinions align closely with yours.

The good news is that these "interview" sessions allow you to see whether your opinions, preferences or priorities, whatever they may be, align with those of the doctor.

Well, today we met with and decided on a pediatrician for our baby.  The practice has been recommended to me by several people at my company who live in our city, and the specific doctor we chose was recommended by friends who live nearby and have been taking their 8 month old daughter to this doctor since birth.  We'd also read positive reviews online of the practice, so were pretty hopeful that this would be a good fit.

In our case, we definitely wanted to meet the pediatrician to ensure questions were not only tolerated but encouraged, as we expect to have MANY questions as we enter this new challenge of parenthood and don't want to feel like we're being rushed out of the office when we visit.  But, the doctor's views on certain items were also really important to us, so we prepared a list of questions to review with her.  We ended up creating our list of questions based partially on questions we'd read in books or on the web, partially on advice from other new parents, and of course our own curiosities.  :)

Lucky for us, the pediatrician we met with was very warm, very patient in answering all of our questions, and we feel comfortable choosing her to be our baby's pediatrician!  So that's one more thing we've crossed off our to-do list!

P.S. - For anyone out there looking for a pediatrician, and wondering what to think or ask about when you meet with him/her, I'd recommend searching the internet for sample interview questions and asking friends for advice on what they wish they'd known prior to selecting a pediatrician.

- Click here for a sample list of interview questions from BabyCenter.
- Click here for a list of sample questions from The Bump.

Happy interviewing!

30 Weeks!

Hello, Week 30!  Wow, something about being in the 30s is shocking!  It sounds so close to 40!  Our baby is now the length of a cucumber and could weigh as much as 3.5 pounds!

Source: The Bump

I haven't been feeling those super-hard kicks as much, but I have felt baby doing a lot of stretching out in there!

Symptom Snapshot:

My belly button has officially popped OUT!

So far I've woken up with leg cramps 3 times, all since the third trimester began.  The pain last night was a real doosie!  It was a bit different from the first 2 occasions, which felt like charlie horses in my calf.  Last night it was the front of my left ankle that hurt so bad -- so odd!  Luckily, getting up and walking around helped calm it down.  I'm not sure if it was related to the exercises I did yesterday or the massage I had, or neither one.  I'm just glad it went away!

Shortness of breath, general discomfort, continued nosebleeds and trouble sleeping???  Check, check, check, and check!!!!  I'm also still dealing with nausea on a relatively regular basis, which seems to have gotten a tad worse over the past couple weeks, and that darn Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction pain in the top inner thigh on my left leg seems to be making a reappearance as well after a few weeks of leaving me alone.  I also suffer from what I am calling "big belly waddle-itis", where I really want to walk like a normal human, but just can't.  ;)  Frequent urges to pee, fatigue and increased discharge in the undies area are some of the other lovely pregnancy symptoms I've been dealing with.  I think now that the third trimester is underway, it's going to be like a big party for all the pregnancy symptoms out there to gang up on me!  The only thing I haven't really had to deal with -- and I'm so thankful, so *hope* I don't jinx myself -- is constipation.  I don't know whether it's thanks to my diet or water intake or what, but I've been pretty regular.  At least there's one symptom in the book I don't seem to have!

I think I might have experienced a couple Braxton Hicks contractions, but to be honest it's a bit hard to tell -- it could just be the baby pushing against my outer abdomen, which this little one seems to like doing.  On several occasions I've felt with my hand what I'm pretty sure is a head!

There's hasn't really been any change to my weight or waist measurement since last week, but my pants are definitely feeling a bit on the snug side.  I guess we'll see just how stretchy the elastic-waisted maternity jeans I have really are!  ;)

The Never-Ending To-Do List

We started making progress on nursery planning:
-- the furniture has been ordered and is ready for delivery
-- we started clearing out the room a bit this weekend, and got most of the big things out of the way
-- and though we haven't chosen an exact paint color yet, we have narrowed down the field to a few different options

Later this week we have an appointment with a potential pediatrician, which has been on our list for quite some time, so we're excited to hopefully get to check this one off.  We'll also be attending a workshop called "Doulas 101" and starting our "Prepared Childbirth" classes at our delivery hospital!  Talk about a jam-packed week of education!

Bump Watch Alert!