More Pregnancy Stats

Ok, since I'm a fan of stats for keeping track of things, I'm gonna update my last numbers:

03/05/14 - 09 weeks, 6 days - BP 090/62 - 131 lb - 10cm
04/02/14 - 13 weeks, 6 days - BP 120/70 - 134 lb - 16cm
05/07/14 - 18 weeks, 6 days - BP 100/70 - 140 lb
06/04/14 - 22 weeks, 6 days - BP 104/72 - 146 lb
07/01/14 - 26 weeks, 6 days - BP 098/70 - 154 lb - belly measuring about 30 weeks
07/30/14 - 30 weeks, 6 days - BP 100/64 - 158 lb - belly measuring around 34/35 weeks

More details:
I have gained 27 pounds thus far. In between my two July appointments, I was on 21 days of Amoxicillin for Lymes Disease. Yes, that's what I said. Remind me to show you the bulls-eye rash on my thigh some time. Fun times. Speaking of fun times...the first day of August brought with it the return of the horrible acid reflux I had until about week 22. Luckily, Ryan is an excellent supplier of my yummy berry-flavored Tums whenever I need them. Which is quite often.

How I'm Feeling: 1 Week Out

NOTE: This post was originally written last week, but for some reason, I never posted it.

Tomorrow, I will officially be due in one week. That's just crazy talk.

A few weeks ago, I would have told you I feel soooo ready (physically) to have this baby, and wouldn't have been surprised had it happened any time. But then spring weather came long. And we started playing outside. And I started transplanting things and digging and DOING things, and wouldn't you know I got lots of energy I haven't had in months and months?

And now I don't feel so ready. Mentally, yes - let's get this show on the road! But physically? I have absolutely no signs of this baby coming any time soon. And after two babies, I pretty much know my physical signs.

So much for expecting to be late but hoping to be early...

One thing worth mentioning:
Last night, I had this awful pain on my left side, just above my hips, like I've never felt before. I couldn't decide if it felt better to rub it or walk around or curl up on the couch and complain...loudly. The pain came and went for a half an hour to an hour in varying degrees, but never completely went away before bed. Thankfully, it was gone when I woke up this morning. I Googled the pain, but really only turned up "round ligament" pain or ovarian cyst-related pain, but this didn't fit either of those categories, and was more a pinched nerve / sudden intense cramp type pain. Whatever it was, I'm just glad it's gone and hope it never returns!

How I'm Feeling: 35 Weeks

I can't believe that two days from now, I'll be due with this baby in just four weeks. FOUR WEEKS. That's ridiculous.

Make sure you pronounce that like my Opa: ree-dik-uh-luss.

Today's 35-week appointment was with Dr. Garfinkel, the practice's OB, since Tina (my midwife) is on vacation. I've had two previous experiences with him. The first was when he circumcised Jacob and he was a little nervous to let me watch - like he didn't think I'd be able to handle it, and then he'd have two babies on his hands (he didn't). The second time was...

>>
I'm sorry, I have to tangent here. Jacob is standing next to me right now, inspecting my belly, shouting, "Beh-beh! Beh-beh!" He has lifted my shirt so he can rub his hands on the "baby," and now he just put his head against it, like he's giving her a hug. What a sweetheart!

OK, tangent over.
>>

The second time was with my last miscarriage. But this was my first regular OB visit with him. He seemed a little rushed and unfocused at first, but then when I heard he was about to head to the hospital to deliver a baby, I was grateful he took the time to see me at all before leaving. Because a BABY! being BORN! So much more exciting.

We heard the baby's heartbeat, and he said the baby was measuring a little bigger than normal. Tina has told me my BELLY was bigger than normal, common for a third pregnancy, but it was nice to have someone actually confirm that, yes, the big BABY is also contributing. He said that normally babies at this stage are about 5 pounds, and mine might be about 7 pounds. He said I'm probably in for another 8 or 9 pounder.

Greeeeeeaaaaaat.
At least he didn't say 10 or 11...though I bet he was thinking it. ;)

My next appointment is next week. Wow, can't believe I'm starting on the weekly visits already!

How I'm Feeling: Week 33

Or..."When Things Fall Into Place"

Had my latest OB appt this morning, and it turns out I'm 33.5 weeks, not 32.5 weeks like I thought. Seems the haze and activity of the last two weeks clouded my brain and made me lose count in there. Oops.

Man, that means I'm going to be 34 weeks Friday. That's just nuts. SO much closer to 40 than 32...I'm going to have to start wrapping my brain around this whole baby situation. Yes, I know I'm a little slow. I've definitely been used to the "baby in my belly" concept for quite some time now, but my brain has not quite gotten to the "baby is going to come out...and live here. And poop here. And keep Mama up at night again. And take up lots of space with lots of STUFF" concept yet.

The good news is the baby finally got into position - her head is down where it should be and I'm no longer breech. Phew, at least that's taken care of. (Now stay there, baby!) Tina had some trouble feeling the head this time, so we did a quick topical ultrasound and BOOM! There's the baby! All of a sudden, her image jumped on screen - her little hands cuddling in front of her face, legs kicking away, head down in my pelvis where we hoped it would be. Just like I said after our level II ultrasound at 20 weeks (our last view), seeing the image of your baby up on screen never, ever gets old.



Other stats? I've gained 25 lbs thus far. (24 lbs as of four weeks ago, 26 lbs two weeks ago, and 25 lbs today.) This may sound super for someone who's nearing the end of her pregnancy, but I know I have a history of gaining a lot very quickly at the end, so the longer I can stay lower, the better. I gained 40 lbs with Lily and 33 lbs with Jacob. (I was so happy to have only gained 30 lbs by his due date, but then packed on another 3 lbs in the 8 extra days waiting for him to come out - little stinker.)

So yeah, I was hoping to keep it under or around 30 again this time. We'll see how close I get.

We also talked about this head/chest cold that I've had FOREVER. She said since a pregnant woman's sinuses are so full to begin with (something I've known but never really felt with any of my pregnancies), when you add a head cold or viral sinus infection on top of that, everything is so built up in there that it can turn bacterial and I may actually need antibiotics to get rid of it. Yuck. So in typical Leah fashion, I'm going to do nothing but wait it out a little longer and see what happens. If it's not resolved or at least much better before my next appointment two weeks from now, I may start taking something just so when she asks me about it, I can at least say I've started doing SOMEthing. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

Will scan today's ultrasound pic and post it when I get the chance. For now, that's all the new baby news!

Note: Haha! Didn't scan and put the ultrasound picture in until February 10, 2011 - almost a whole year later! Guess with three kids in the house, "when I get the chance" is closer to NEVER.

How I'm Feeling: Week 16

Can't write long because we're headed to Ikea because MAMA WANTS MEATBALLS. And oh yeah, maybe some stuff for the house.

So yeah, this whole pregnancy has been about food. Food I want, food I don't want. And lots and lots of Thai food. Spicy food, saucy food. Anything made entirely of MEAT. And salt.

A typical late-night snack? More dinner. I haven't really been wanting snacks or sweets. When I want to eat, I want to EAT. As in hot, dinner food. With sauce. From Thailand.

Did I mention Thai food? Mmmm...

I was having a lot of trouble figuring out what to eat before bed. I didn't want a little something. I wanted a MEAL. But I knew I shouldn't. Ryan would watch me pace back and forth from the couch to the fridge, fridge to the couch, continually coming back empty-handed, complaining that there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to eat. When really, there was plenty of food, just nothing I saw looked appetizing. Which for me, is very abnormal, because non-pregnant me would usually eat the first thing I saw. "Hmm, that looks good. Sure!" Not too picky.

Finally, in my frustration, I would send Ryan to the kitchen. "Find me something to eat! There's NOTHING!" Typical pregnant wife, right? Although I can't remember ever being the typical pregnant wife. I can't remember any other pregnancy so driven by food and cravings and I Don't WANT That and I NEED That Other Thing.

So Ryan would walk to the fridge and the pantry and offer me the same things I just saw, and I would collapse in frustration that I was dying of starvation, and he would just shake his head at me and smile. "So that's what this is like...."

Finally we agreed that toast with blackberry jam (mmmm berries) would suffice when nothing else would, and that's what he was instructed to make me when I was otherwise irrationally inconsolable. Then I bought a big 6-pack of cup of noodles, college-style, and mmmm now THAT is what I want when I need something before bed. It's hot. Like real food. And has a little kick. And perhaps there's even a little salt in it ;) Just maybe.

OK, I really have to go now. We're gathering the troops to get in the car and the smell of Swedish sauces is calling me. Maybe I'll write about everything else that's happening in this pregnancy (which, pretty typical of my pregnancies, is not much).

MEATBALLS!

How I'm Feeling - 7 Weeks

Note: This post was written on May 24, and not published until now.

I can't believe I'm writing one of these "How I'm Feeling" posts again! Oh my gosh, wasn't I just pregnant??

So once again, I have no real morning sickness and pray it remains that way. The only times my stomach feels a little funny is if I go too long between meals. I have to eat very regularly, or else what I assume is just a hint of morning sickness sneaks up on me, and then I don't WANT to eat b/c my stomach is turning, but I know I have to eat to make myself feel better. What a strange logic - eat because you feel like you're going to throw up! This happened yesterday before lunchtime and again just before bed. I guess with the chaos of getting ready for Jacob's birthday party, and then recovering from it afterwards, I had forgotten to eat for quite a while each time and started feeling it.

The only other pregnancy-related symptom I guess I have is an early morning lack of sleep. For the past week or so, I have been waking up extra early to go to the little girl's room, but then when I get back to bed, I am overly hot and completely unable to go back to sleep. I just lay there, for an hour or two, wishing I could go back to sleep. When have I EVER not been able to sleep?

Oh yeah, the last two times I was pregnant ;)

Otherwise, I'm feeling great. No real concerns or problems to post about. I'm looking forward to my first check-up in two weeks, to seeing the baby's heartbeat on the monitor, and to getting the first glimpse of our new little peanut in my belly.

How I'm Feeling - Week 9

Note: This post was written last week. As of today, I am 10 1/2 weeks, and things are not nearly as gray.

A lot of people are asking how I'm feeling. I don't really know how to answer. My days seem to have a gray haze over them, like I'm living in a fog. It's vey surreal...knowing this awful thing is going to happen that has not yet happened. How do you describe to someone that you're waiting for tragedy?

But in general - besides how strange just WAITING for the miscarriage is - I feel much better than the first time this happened four years ago. (Was it really that long ago?) Maybe because I've been through this before, and know how it feels to come out the other side. Maybe because I have two beautiful children for whom I am already so thankful.

Oh my, Jacob. What is that smell coming from your diaper?

Maybe because I have so much less time to focus on myself...

How I'm Feeling - 1 Day Late

I was really hoping today would be THE DAY. Yesterday, the whole family celebrated my Oma's 80th birthday party, and it meant so much to her that I could be there (she told me so many times...it melted my heart each time). I reminded her that even if I wasn't there, Lily a.k.a. the center of attention at EVERY family gathering would still be there (with my parents), but she remained firm in her happiness that I was there, as well. And that was so wonderful.



Here's a photo of me and Ryan in Oma and Opa's backyard yesterday, on my due date.

But now the party's over. Literally. There is nothing holding me back from having this baby. Except now that it's evening, I'd rather go to bed and hope it waits until morning. I think I'm going to feel that way every day until the baby comes...hoping that labor starts after a good night's sleep. After Exhaustion-fest '06 with Lily's birth, sleep is my top priority.

So Tina is on-call the next two days, then again on Thursday and Friday. Allison was on this weekend and will be on again Wednesday. I have an NST scheduled for Thursday, and if there's STILL no baby by then, we'll schedule a 2nd NST and also an ultrasound to check the baby's movements, size, and level of amniotic fluid. This pattern will continue every 3 days or so until the baby is born. I'm not sure why my first NST is 5 days after my due date, instead of the normal 3, but I guess it doesn't really matter so long as I still feel the baby moving around regularly.

Which I CERTAINLY do. S/he is beating me up tonight, that's for sure. I think the baby is as eager as I am now. But we're still feeling good and relaxed and able to hold on as long as we need to. All I know for sure is I will have this baby sometime within the next 13 days. Craziness.

I had an appointment with Allison Wednesday. She said everything looked fine, that this baby will probably be as big as Lily - if not bigger (woohoo...), that I weighed 171 (total weight gain: 31 lbs - I think I'll stop counting now), and that even if Tina was on call when I went into labor, Allison would still come assist us if I wanted to give birth in the tub. That's how eager Allison is to use those new hospital tubs! And she's eager to help Tina get some more "tubbing" experience.

I told her that was a wonderful offer, and if I ended up using the tub while in labor, then I'd be glad to see her. I think it would be fun to try - certainly a great experience - but you never know how you're going to feel when it's actually happening, so I'm careful not to make her any promises or get her hopes up too high.

But I must admit: her enthusiasm is contagious ;)

How I'm Feeling - 38 Weeks

Met with Allison today. Weighed 167, so a total of 27 pounds gained and a pound/week since 35 weeks. More than the 25 total I would have liked, but oh well. It's so hard here at the end, where I feel like I'm done and can indulge...plus, I'm craving junk and sweets and just FOOD like nobody's business.

Blood pressure was OK and baby's heartbeat was great. Talked a lot about labor. Forgot to bring my birth plan with me. Again. Not that it matters so much for Allison and Tina as it does for the hospital nurses, once we get there, but I'd still like them to have it.

Here's a shot of me today, with 1.5 weeks left until my due date.



Two words come to mind: POINTY BELLY.

How I'm Feeling - 35 Weeks

My appt with Tina went fine this week. My belly is measuring normal (or so I assume - she didn't mention anything), the heartbeat was great (the baby had hiccups, so the doppler kept jumping off my stomach - so cute), and the baby's position was typical for 35 weeks (head down, butt on my right side, legs on my left).

I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Not sure why. Either I'm too hot, too full, too hungry (go figure), or just I don't know what. I hope this stops soon...I need to stock up on rest before this new baby comes!

Weight update: 164. So I gained three pounds in the last two weeks. Technically, the scale said 163, so I'm not sure why she recorded 164, but I'll go with it. So that's a total of 24 pounds gained with 5 weeks (really four, as of tomorrow) left to go.

It's funny how good I've felt about my weight gain during this whole pregnancy - feeling like I was doing so much better than last time - when in reality, I'm pretty much neck-in-neck with what I gained last time (though I'm starting 7 pounds higher). WHAT?! That means I gained a heckuva lot of weight at the end. NOT AGAIN!!!

How I'm Feeling - Week 33

Let me start with my 30-week appt, which I forgot to mention back before vacation. I saw Allison and I was all set to ask her if I was still posterior, but when she measured my belly and said, "You're measuring a little big..." that posterior question flew right out the window. I'm measuring big? Me or the baby? "The baby. 32 weeks or maybe 31." 31 wouldn't be too bad, since that was technically two days away. But the thought of another big baby - or a BIGGER baby - got my head a-waggin'!

I had gained 2 pounds and was up to 159. Not bad. The baby's heartbeat was great and I don't remember her taking my blood pressure. Hmm.

My 33-week appt with Tina yesterday was much more reassuring (for some reason, they scheduled me for 33 instead of 32 weeks...oh well). She said my belly size was just right - measuring exactly 33 weeks. MUCH better. I asked her if I was still posterior and she looked at me like I was crazy. I told her I was at 28 weeks and just wanted to double check, and she said the baby is sideways, head down, butt on my left and legs on my right, just as it should be for now. Very glad to hear that.

She said, "Well, don't start worrying about being posterior. If you were able to deliver an OP [occiput posterior] baby last time, you won't have any trouble this time no matter how this baby comes out!"

That led me to recall my looooong labor and delivery with Allison for her. She said she was surprised I didn't have myself a heavy bout of post-partum depression following the birth. She said no sleep begets depression, and depression begets no sleep...hence the vicious cycle. So while I know I did not have PPD, maybe that was a little part of the problem I had building an attachment to Lily, the attachment that did not spontaneously appear like magic immediately following her birth, but that grew in the months to come.

I gained another 2 pounds. Not bad for 2.5 weeks. So now I'm at 161 for a total weight gain thus far of 21 pounds, which is - ironically - a couple pounds UNDER what my "Your Pregnancy: Week by Week" book says is normal. I'll take it. Whatever keeps me farther away from 40!

Physically, I'm still feeling great, don't have the constant pain in my left ribs like last time - VERY grateful for that - and every week that passes without a sign of PUPPPS sees much rejoicing. I told Ryan last night, "Know what? Sometime within the next 9 weeks, we're going to have a baby!" Crazy that it seems so close all of a sudden. Are we ready? Completely not! Were we last time? Not at all! And we made it somehow.

This is really starting to get exciting now. Not that it wasn't before, but it's becoming less "excitement about something far away that will happen sometime" and more "excitement about what's going to happen soon!" and I can't wait to snuggle my new little baby in my arms and rest her/his warm head against mine. I think my immediate reaction to this baby will be much different than last time. This time, I know how it feels to be a mom...to love a baby...to use that part of my heart that I had to discover over the first few months last time. At least that's what I keep telling myself ;)

How I'm Feeling - Week 28

Yesterday, I had my 28 week appointment. It was good finding out how far along I am, seeing as I can never quite keep track myself. This Saturday, I will be 29 weeks, so that's the official count.

My gestational diabetes test results came back fine. My number was 129, I believe. The baby's heartbeat was strong and well-paced. Lily seemed mesmerized by the sound of it...mouth wide open, staring at nothing, listening intently. Tina said, "It's so funny how little kids are hypnotized by the sound of the baby's heartbeat!"

On the weight scale, I only gained two pounds in the last month. Not too shabby...1/2 lb a week. Especially considering the baby is growing 1/4 lb a week at this point. That puts my total weight gain thus far at 16 pounds, or 23 lbs above my first pre-pregnancy weight, putting me at 156 lbs total. Fortunately, Ryan has also put on a few pounds in the last couple of years - though you'd never know it to look at him - so I'm not so close to matching his weight at this point of my pregnancy as I was last time. There's something demoralizing about nearly matching your husband's weight even though you are nearly a foot shorter than him.

This is the first time in any pregnancy that I really feel like I'm starting to lose my appetite. I have no strong desire for food, which is something I never thought I'd hear myself say. Ever. Maybe that has something to do with this month's lower-than-normal weight gain. Even when I didn't have a lot of room for food (at the beginning or end of any pregnancy), I still WANTED to eat a lot, even if I couldn't fit it - hence the frequent cases of overstuffing and feeling awful afterwards. But now...? Mmm, no thanks. I wonder what this is from? It certainly didn't happen last time. I wonder if it will last?

I'd better wrap this up and get in the shower while Lily's still asleep. I have to make the most of every moment alone!

How I'm Feeling - Week 24 (?)

The question mark in the title is because I'm not quite sure I'm 24 weeks. I THINK I am, but I'm not quite sure. I guess it doesn't really matter...the baby will come out when s/he is ready, regardless!

So I had my latest OB checkup today. Everything looked good. Good heartbeat (the baby's), good blood pressure (mine), good belly size (mine - measuring at 24 weeks). Allison tried to figure out what position the baby was in, but she said there's still so much room in there for him/her to swim around, that it was really hard to tell. We laughed that the baby has no idea what s/he's in for or how cramped it's gonna get in there!

I've been feeling drained lately. Maybe it's because my supply of prenatal vitamins ran out a week or two ago and I got a new prescription just today, without taking any in the interim (bad, I know). Maybe it's because this persistent head cold just won't go away - I haven't been able to breath through my nose in weeks. At least Lily's feeling better, because sick crabby baby + sick crabby Mama = bad combination.

It felt like this pregnancy was going really fast, but all of a sudden within the last few weeks, it feels like things are slowing down. Maybe the cold and general fatigue have to do with it...EVERYthing feels slower when you're sick.

So here's the complete weight gain run-down so far:

8 week checkup:: 140lbs (this is considered my "pre-pregnancy" weight, compared to 133lbs last time...so I started 7lbs heavier than last time...grrr)

12 week checkup: 142lbs (+2 pounds) = 2 pounds total

16 week checkup:: 144lbs (+2 pounds) = 4 pounds total

20 week checkup: 150lbs (+6 pounds - darn those Christmas cookies!) = 10 pounds total

24 week checkup: 154lbs (+4 pounds - more than I was hoping for...) = 14 pounds total

Hmm. I know from experience I gain the bulk of my weight later in pregnancy, so to have an extra 14 pounds already is not too good. I definitely don't want to gain 40 pounds again! Even if I only gain 33, I'll still have 40 total to lose to get back to my original weight pre-babies.

This is not looking good...

Where's the chocolate?

How I'm Feeling - Week 19

I'm 19 1/2 weeks pregnant now. It's amazing that in a few days, I will be halfway done with this pregnancy. It's also amazing how radically different this pregnancy is than the last one. Not physically, as that's pretty much been the same (no morning sickness, no weird cravings, tired in the first trimester), but mentally. Last time, I read the next chapter of, "Your Pregnancy: Week by Week" faithfully every Tuesday night.

This time...? Where is that book again??

Last time, I was on BabyCenter.com constantly, finding out what was happening inside me, how the baby was developing, what I was and wasn't allowed to eat, what I definitely should be eating, etc. This time? I stuff my face with whatever I feel like and never remember to force myself to eat my vegetables. Last time, I was a nut about noticing every little change in my body. This time? Should that be there? I'd rather not look, thank you very much.

Last time, all I was was Pregnant. Like after you get engaged and the world revolves around you and your head is in a cloud and all you are in life is someone's soon-to-be wife. Pregnancy defined me. This time, I'm Lily's Mama and housewife and What's for dinner? and Christmas is WHEN?? and Oh yeah, I'm pregnant. It's amazing how different it is! Sometimes, I'll walk by a mirror and do a double take because I've forgotten there's this belly there and I haven't looked at it in a while and my goodness, it's gotten bigger!

Last time, I refused to look at maternity clothes or at Babies'R'Us goodies until well after I should have...convinced doing so would somehow jinx the pregnancy. This time, I wore maternity clothes in the first trimester because - forget looking trendy - I just want to be comfortable! And I started a new Babies'R'Us registry right away because there was cool stuff in the free gift box for Lily. Hehe.

Our big level-2 ultrasound is this Friday - as in, two days from now. It still doesn't seem real. Although, when I remember to think about it, I have the same emotional response as last time: 1/2 excited and 1/2 nervous. Excited to see our new little stinker mugging for the camera and squirming around in there; nervous because if there is something majorly wrong with the baby, this will affect our family for the rest of our lives. So we're just praying everything will go fine, and that, if it doesn't, God will give us the strength and courage to accept whatever He throws our way.

How I'm Feeling - Week 8

Very groggy and tired all day. 0% engery level. Poor Lily is bearing the brunt of my tiredness. All day, I look forward to her naps, so I can stop chasing after her and take a nap myself. Her lack of EVER sitting still frustrates me, because I just want to sit still myself - zone out on the couch and watch TV. She deserves her fun Mama back, and that's not me right now. I'm sleeeeepy, lazy Mama.

I'm also a little queasier than I was last time around - at least from what I remember. I now understand when women say they feel sick UNTIL they eat, which always made no sense to me. It's such a strange thing to wrap your head around - my tummy is empty and feels unsettled so I'd better go ADD to it. But it really does work. So long as I snack throughout the day, I'm not quite so unsettled. Too bad I never remember to do that until it starts.

The lack of being able to eat a full meal at once has returned, though not yet in full force. Sometimes I can eat, sometimes I can only pick. Very frustrating for a girl who loves to eat, but probably the only way I'll lose some more baby weight before I start gaining NEW baby weight.

Who am I kidding? My pre-pre-pregnancy clothes are NEVER going to fit me again. I'm slowly getting used to that idea, but not enough to drop my clothes off at the nearest donation bin. At least this time I can look forward to borrowing more maternity clothes, since a lot more friends/relatives have had babies since I was pregnant with Lily. Rock on, new wardrobe.