35/35

October 30, 2012

how far along: 35 weeks...only 35 more days until her original due date!!! (only 2 weeks left until she is full-term!)

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 17.2-18.7 inches, 4.2-5.8  (She weighed 5 lbs. 5 oz. at our appointment last week)… about the size of a coconut

weight gain: 4 pound this week, 33 pounds total (Not that I'd be surprised to gain this much from eating fast food and being on bed rest, but I do think at least a little is due to water retention)

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Finding it difficult to get comfortable most nights, due to reflux and upper back pain.
best moment this week: Going to our first birthing class.  Definitely looking forward to learning a lot the next few weeks!

food cravings: Halloween candy!

symptoms: Terrible reflux/heartburn, Braxton Hicks contractions, edema (probably from the Nifedipine), crazy/out-of-control emotions...thank you pregnancy hormones!  

gender: Precious baby girl!

belly button in or out: Just barely in

movement: She is very active and moves a bunch, which I love, except when it feels like she's punching me under my pelvic bone or head-butting me in the cervix.

what I miss:  Being comfortable and not being on bed rest

what I'm looking forward to: Not being on bed rest next week, hopefully making it to full-term, and meeting my baby girl oh so very soon!!!

Update:  At our appointment Monday my cervical length had increased, from 1.5 cm last week, to 1.9 cm this week! Only about a week until I'm off of bed rest!!!

I'm so crafty, I make people!

35 weeks 1 day front view

Happy Halloween! 

35 weeks 1 day side view

Madelyn: 34 weeks 6 days

34 weeks

October 23, 2012

how far along: 34 weeks...only 6 more weeks until her original due date and only 3 more weeks until she's full-term!

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 17.2-18.7 inches, 4.2-5.8  (She weighed 5 lbs. 5 oz. at our appointment today [Wednesday])… about the size of a butternut squash

weight gain: 1 pound this week, 29 pounds total (which is surprising considering I've been on bed rest and have been eating a ton of fast food...but I'm not complaing!)

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Finding it difficult to get comfortable most nights, due to reflux and upper back pain.
best moment this week: I was feeling pretty down after being put on bed rest, so last Saturday, Daddy went on a shopping spree for Madelyn at Carter's, to cheer me up!  Also, he's been super helpful, running errands and cleaning, to help pick up some of the slack around here!

food cravings: Sweets

symptoms: Reflux/heartburn.  Occasional Braxton Hicks contractions.   Thanks to the bed rest and medication, they're not as frequent.  Crazy, out-of-control emotions...thank you pregnancy hormones!  I have been having pain in my pubic symphysis since Monday morning, and if I move a certain way, it feels as if it's rubbing/grinding...not a comfortable feeling.

gender: Precious baby girl!

belly button in or out: The top part is popping out, but the middle is still just, barely in.  

movement: She is very active and moves a bunch, which I love, except when it feels like she's kicking/punching me under my pelvic bone or head-butting me in the cervix.

what I miss:  Being comfortable and not being on bed rest

what I'm looking forward to: Our breastfeeding class is tonight, and we start our birthing classes Sunday.  (Since I'm posting this after the breastfeeding class, I will say that it was very informative, and I feel more confident after going.  I hope I can remember everything once Madelyn is here, so I can put what I learned into practice!)

Update:  At our appointment today (Wednesday), there was no change in my cervix, which means the medicine and bed rest is doing the trick.  Dr. Yang seemed very pleased that we're one week closer to full-term without progressing.  This is exactly what we were hoping for, and I am very happy about this news.

34 weeks 1 day

34 weeks 1 day

Pictures of the goodies Daddy bought for Maddy

34 weeks 1 day

Win a $100 gift certificate from Boise Cloth Diapers

Since I am planning to cloth diaper Madelyn, I was excited to enter a contest to win a $100 gift certificate to Boise Cloth Diapers!  For your chance to win, head on over to one of my favorite blogs, Weeds to Wishes. Be sure to enter by Halloween night, since that's when the contest ends!

33 weeks

October 16, 2012

how far along: 33 weeks...only 7 more weeks to go! (IF, Miss Madelyn doesn't decide to come early)

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 17.2-18.7 inches, 4.2-5.8  (She weighed 3 lbs. 15 oz. at our appointment 2 weeks ago)… about the size of a durian fruit

weight gain: 3 pound this week, 28 pounds total.  

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Finding it difficult to get comfortable most nights, due to reflux and upper back pain.  

food cravings: Sweets

symptoms: Reflux/heartburn is still better thanks to the Prilosec.  Unfortunately, I still suffer from it a little at night.  If I am on my feet for too long or over-exert myself at all, I will have increased Braxton Hicks contractions.  I am still very emotional and overly-sensitive too. :(

gender: Precious baby girl!

belly button in or out: The top part is popping out, but the middle is still just, barely in.  David picks on me for having such a deep belly button to begin with, and that's why it STILL hasn't popped out all the way! ;)

movement: She is very active and moves a bunch.  I just wish she'd stop punching/kicking me in the bladder/cervix.

what I miss:  Being comfortable, having energy, being able to do anything without having contractions...I can't wait to feel like myself again.

what I'm looking forward to: We have our breastfeeding class next week, and start our birthing classes the week after that.  

One day last week, I cleaned the floors (That was the only thing I did that day)  The next day, I had Braxton Hicks contractions all morning and afternoon.  I tried to stay off my feet and stay hydrated, but nothing seemed to help.  I finally took a bath to relax, which did help a little.  I told my OB about it at my appointment Monday, and she decided to check my cervix.  I wasn't dilated, but she could feel Madelyn's head pressing against my cervix. She's concerned that the pressure from her head, combined with the contractions could cause me to start dilating and result in pre-term labor (We're still 4 weeks away from being full-term).  She has put me on near bed rest; greatly restricting my activity, for the next 2-3 weeks.  She also has me coming in to see her next week, instead of waiting 2 weeks.  I'm not thrilled about not being able to do much, but I'm going to do my best to follow the doctor's orders and keep Madelyn nice and cozy for at least another 4 weeks!
Update: 10/18- I was having a bunch of Braxton Hicks contractions most of the day, along with some mild, lower back pain, despite lying in bed all day.  I was concerned, so I called my OB, and she had me come in.  She did a fetal non-stress test to see if I was having contractions.  She said there was some activity on the monitor that could possibly be contractions.  She also did an internal ultrasound to measure my cervix, and it was short.  She has placed me on actual bed rest and has me taking Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, to slow down cervical activity and buy us some more time.  I will go back to see her Wednesday.

Sorry no belly pics so far this week.  :(

A durian fruit
(in case you're like me and had no idea what one looked like)

32 weeks

October 9, 2012

how far along: 32 weeks...only 8 more weeks to go! (IF, Miss Madelyn doesn't decide to come early)

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lbs (She actually weighed 3 lbs. 15 oz. at our appointment last week)… about the size of a squash. 

weight gain: 2 pound this week, 25 pounds total.  

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Finding it difficult to fall and stay asleep.  Many times, once I wake-up, no matter what time, I am wide awake for hours.  I'm finding it difficult to get comfortable too, even with my snoogle, although I'm sure it's better than without it. 

best moment this week: Packing Madelyn's and my hospital bags.  I'm completely finished, except for a handful of things that I can't pack until we're getting ready to leave.

food cravings: I baked some Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Walnut cookies, and I am addicted to them.  It doesn't help that David doesn't like them, so I have the WHOLE batch all to myself!

symptoms: Reflux/heartburn is better since I started Prilosec, over a week ago, but I still usually take a couple of Tums at bed time.  Occasional, mild Braxton Hicks contractions.  My emotions are still pretty out-of-control...poor David!

gender: Precious baby girl!

belly button in or out: Barely in...I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever pop out all the way!

movement: Yes.  She is still moving a bunch, and I got tickled some more last night, of course when I'm trying to fall asleep! ;)

what I miss:  Being comfortable and having energy...I can't wait to feel like myself again.

what I'm looking forward to: Signed-up and sent in money for breast feeding and birthing classes.  Still don't know if there are spots available.  Crossing my fingers that there are...I think I will feel a lot more at ease and prepared if I'm able to take them.

32 weeks 1 day front view

32 weeks 1 day side view

31 weeks

October 2, 2012

how far along: 31 weeks...only 9 more weeks to go! (We're in the single digit weeks, People!)

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lbs (She actually weighed 3 lbs. 15 oz. at our appointment yesterday)… about the size of a pineapple 

weight gain: 2 pound this week, 23 pounds total.  The scale at my new OB has me weighing about 7 lbs more than I do at home (the scale at my old OB consistently had me weighing a couple lbs more than I did at home), but since this is the same scale I've been using all along, I'm just going to stick with what it says! ;)

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Having some insomnia, which is making it quite difficult to fall asleep, but I am sleeping much more comfortably, once I do fall asleep, thanks to my snoogle.

best moment this week: Finding and having my first visit with my new OB.  She is amazing, and I LOVE her!  I was able to see Madelyn again on the ultrasound.  She was hiding her face with her hand and hiding behind the placenta, but we were able to get a good enough view of her, so that I could see some of her sweet face.  She's measuring a week ahead, so she may be here a little sooner than expected!

food cravings: I've been baking quite a bit and enjoying eating the fruits of my labor, maybe a little too much!  Also, I will find any excuse to have a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.  

symptoms: Increased appetite, TONS of reflux...not just at night.  However, it is worse at night.  I even vomited one night because it was so bad....TUMS are still a regular nighttime ritual!  I really only had Braxton Hicks one night this week, after I had been on my feet too long that day.  I have been a little more emotional this week, but I think part of it is because I'm still getting used to David being back in school and not with me as much...I had become pretty spoiled to having him around. :)

gender: DEFINITELY a baby girl!

belly button in or out: Barely in...I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever pop out all the way!

movement: Yes.  She moves a lot!  I love to feel her stretch out.  I can tell she is getting so long because when she stretches, she spans from one side of my belly to the other!  It is also really cool to feel and see her move.  Some times I will see this huge mound appear and then disappear.  I wonder what she is doing in there.  She also has started tickling me!  Again, I have no idea what she is doing, but it sure does tickle and make me giggle! :)

what I miss:  Not much, but I guess I'd prefer to me a little more comfortable than I am. ;)

what I'm looking forward to: I'm going to try and sign-up for birthing classes which will start later this month...I hope I haven't waited too late.  I'm also going to start working on getting my hospital bag ready.  I've already made a list of what I want to pack...now to just start getting it all together!

30 weeks 6 days: heartbeat 140 bpm

30 weeks 6 days: Madelyn's hand cupping/hiding her sweet face

30 weeks 6 days: A little bit of her sweet profile

30 weeks 6 days: Her face pressed up against the placenta

31 weeks 1 day front view

31 weeks 1 day side view

30 weeks

September 24, 2012

how far along: 30 weeks...only 10 more weeks to go!

Madelyn’s size: somewhere between 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lbs… about the size of a cucumber

weight gain: 1 pound this week, 21 pounds total

maternity clothes: Yes

stretch marks: None

sleep: Sleeping much better now that I splurged and ordered my snoogle!

best moment this week: David treating me to a much-needed, hour-long, prenatal massage.  It was divine!  I may go back once I get to be full-term...they claim they can help induce labor! ;)   Also, we ordered the rest of Madelyn's stuff, so that's pretty exciting!

food cravings: I'm doing better about not snacking AS much, but if I'm being honest, I am still having a ton of junk-food cravings.  My absolute favorite food right now is s'mores Poptarts!  Mmmm, they are heavenly!

symptoms: My appetite is still pretty big, but I think I'm having a little more self-control.  I've had quite a bit of reflux at night when I get in the bed...TUMS have become a regular nighttime ritual!  :(   Very few Braxton Hicks contractions this week.  I'm feeling so much better physically and emotionally than I was last week!  Turns out, I had a kidney stone, which I passed on Thursday (at home, no IV fluids or pain meds...like a boss!) I think that was a major factor in my feeling so cruddy.  I'm thankful to know that I don't have to be that miserable the rest of the pregnancy!

gender: Precious, baby girl!

belly button in or out: Barely in...Won't be much longer before it's completely out!  It pokes almost all the way out whenever I laugh. :)

movement: Yes.  She is still moving so much; kicking, punching, rolling, stretching!  She was kicking me so hard in the side when I was trying to sleep a few nights ago, that I literally jumped from being startled!

what I miss:  Not much, but I guess I'd prefer to me a little more comfortable than I am. ;)

what I'm looking forward to: All of Madelyn's stuff arriving!  However, I'm a little sad too.  I realized once her stuff gets here, I won't have much left to do except sit and wait! :(   With David starting classes today, I'm trying to think of projects to occupy my time, or else I'm going to go crazy from boredom.  Only about a month until Sissy's wedding, and then about 5 weeks after that will be Madelyn's due date!     

my kidney stone

30 weeks front view...only 10 weeks to go!!!

30 weeks side view

And without the jacket...to get a better look at the belly