Hello Baby Blog

Total Weight Gain: 33 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week: heartburn is horrible.  I will be so happy once it is done.  I get heartburn from just drinking water, and sometimes it feels like from mere breathing.

Happy times this week: The anticipation!

Belly Button Status:  Pops in and out depending on her position.

Food Cravings:  nothing.

Dr. Visits:  OB visit Wednesday.  I’m still 1cm, so no progress.

Labor Signs: I’ve started having back pain with the contractions.  They are still just braxton hicks, since I’m not progressing.  Oddly enough this week it seems like things went backward, less cramping, less contracting, less pelvic pain.  Maybe she changed her mind about coming out into the world…oh well Bella, we are coming to get you on Monday.

Projects I worked on this week:  Trying to keep my mind occupied.  It’s a full time job.

Looking Forward to: Tomorrow!!!  Tomorrow I can hold my Isabella.

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Total Weight Gain: 30 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week: contractions and more contractions.

Happy times this week: We got a TIME and are actually scheduled for the induction.  Wa-hoo.

Belly Button Status:  It’s actually gone back in quite a bit since she flipped head down.

Food Cravings:  salads.  weird.

Dr. Visits:  OB visit Tuesday.  We had an ultrasound and she has turned head down, wayyyyy down.  Head grinding against pelvis, going to fall out when I walk kind of down.  She weighs about 6 lbs.  One reading said 5lbs 14 oz, the other said 6 lbs.  Still in the 30th percentile.  And I am now a “loose” 1cm dilated.  The doctor said this should be good for the induction, and she said she didn’t expect it to take too long.  Hm, I’m not getting my hopes up.

Labor Signs: False alarm on Thursday.  I started timing the contractions at 10am and they were consistently 10 minutes apart.  Then they got down to 7 minutes.  Then to 5, like clockwork.  I drank 2 bottles of water and took a  nap.  They continued through the nap, so when I woke up I took a bath.  They continued at 5 minutes apart through the bath.  But I couldn’t see going to the hospital because they didn’t hurt and they weren’t increasing in intensity.  Eventually around 9 pm they tappered off and were completely gone over the night.  This whole labor thing is confusing.  Couldn’t she have a light that says “I’m done” with a little “ding” sound.  That would be very helpful.

Projects I worked on this week:  Re-nesting the nest.  If only these dogs would stop pooping on the floor!  They have no sense of respect for a freshly mopped floor.

Looking Forward to: February 15th at 12:30!

9 days until delivery!  (single digits!!  omg!)

look who's ready for a baby sister...

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Total Weight Gain: 28 lbs. (lost another pound, not sure how)

Pregnancy Woes this week: contractions, heartburn, her movements are now somewhat painful – there’s just no room to be doing cartwheels in there now Isabella!

Happy times this week: She’s full term!  My husband had a surprise shower thrown for him at work this week.  It was fun, but he is IMPOSSIBLE to surprise.

Belly Button Status:  the same.

Food Cravings:  I’ve been loving my pasteurized goat cheese lately.

Dr. Visits:  OB appointment Monday.  She checked me and said I was 1 cm dilated and she’s still breech, so it will be a c-section.  At the hematologist on Wednesday I found out that I needed another transfusion, so Thursday was transfusion day.

Labor Signs: Well I was 1cm dilated on Monday and on Tuesday I had the “bloody show” and lost my mucous plug.  Since then it’s been lots of contractions.  But they aren’t following a regular pattern yet.

Projects I worked on this week:  Nesting kicked into high gear.  I cleaned just about every square inch of the house, including the garage.  You can’t bring a baby home to a cluttered garage you know.

Looking Forward to: Now I’m just looking forward to Isabella being here.

2 weeks until delivery!

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Total Weight Gain: 29 lbs.  (I lost a pound this week)

Pregnancy Woes this week:  Cramps, funny vision anomalies, and the usual…

Happy times this week: The 3-D ultrasound was really cool this week (my cousin is in training to be an ultrasound tech, so I get them for free!)

Belly Button Status:  the same.

Food Cravings:  I’ve been loving my pasteurized goat cheese lately.

Dr. Visits:  OB appointment Monday where we set the date of February 15th.  Everything looking good.

Labor Signs: BH are getting more frequent.  I started timing them the other day and sometimes they were less than 5 minutes apart, but it didn’t last. Sometimes they are crampy and hurt, other times just tightening.   She’s “dropped,” so maybe that’s a good labor sign.  Some days this week I’ve had cervical pain so I’m hoping that I’ll find out I’m a little dilated at next Monday’s appointment.  Who knows.  I think interpreting labor signs is about like reading tea leaves…

Projects I worked on this week:  Got the car seat installed!  After nearly an hour and a half with a state police trooper I am now officially a car seat installation expert.  Put together pack and play, which was NOT meant for a 36 week pregnant person to do.

Looking Forward to: Next week’s OB appointment.  Next week she’ll be full term!

3 weeks until delivery!  23 days!  (Deja vu)

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Total Weight Gain: 30 lbs.  (what happened this week?!?  It must have been the picadilly)

Pregnancy Woes this week: Headache from hell that laughs at tylenol.  “Mwah-ha-ha” it says.

Happy times this week: Seeing Bella on the ultrasound and hearing that she is doing great.  Shopping for her final necessities.

Belly Button Status:  sensitive.  Don’t touch!

Food Cravings: nothing particular.

Dr. Visits:  So I had a headache the entire week.  It was a never-ending headache.  Wednesday I started to get concerned about it and called the nurse.  She told me to call the Hematologist since it could be my anemia.  The hematologist moved up my appointment to this Thursday.  I went in and had my usual blood test.  My hemoglobin was still pretty good, so it was unlikely that it was anemia.  The hematologist called the OB so they could talk about what could be causing the headache.  But while she waited on hold we talked and she figured out that the medicine I was on has a side effect of headaches.  Doh.  I’m stupid.  She also noticed that my white blood cells were increasing and wanted me to get checked for a UTI.  I love her.  Most doctors don’t care about anything outside of their specialty, but she really cares. When I went to the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor that afternoon and I also left a urine specimen with the OB.  Turns out I had a bad UTI with blood in my urine.  This explains why my kidneys are hurting.  Doh again.  So I guess it’s a good thing I went in for the headache.  At the MFM everything was great.  She is on the same growth curve, 30th percentile, and is weighing 4 lbs 10 oz.  She had hair!  Also still head up.  No more MFM appointments so we can scratch one doctor off the list!

Labor Signs: More BH.  They are getting more frequent.  One night my husband touched my belly button and it threw my stomach into a crazy BH frenzy all night.  But then it went back to normal around 2am.

Projects I worked on this week:  No more crafts, just getting the nursery organized and everything washed.  There is so much to wash!

Looking Forward to: Setting a delivery date at my Monday OB appointment!

Only 3 weeks until delivery!  21 days!

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Total Weight Gain: 25 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week: just the usual.

Happy times this week: Baby Shower!  Prenatal Massage!

Belly Button Status:  same.  no longer interesting.

Food Cravings: nothing particular.

Dr. Visits:  Saw the Hematologist Tuesday, my Hb dropped by a point.  No need for transfusion at this point, but if continues to drop, might need one at next visit, or before delivery.  Wednesday I saw the OB.  Everything is still looking good.  She said that at the next visit she will check my cervix and check if Bella is head down or not.  We’ll probably also set a concrete date for induction at the next visit.  I scheduled out my 3 remaining OB visits for the pregnancy.  It feels so weird, now there is a definite end in sight.  She wanted to move up my next MFM appointment to next week.  She claims the belly is still measuring small…I think her tape measure needs calibrating.

Labor Signs: A quiet week.  Some BH, but nothing interesting.

Projects I worked on this week:  Finished the flannel blankets.  Now I’m done with all my crafting projects before she gets here.

Looking Forward to: Ultrasound at the MFM next week.  I wonder how much she’ll weigh???

Only 4 weeks until delivery!  28 days!

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Total Weight Gain: 23 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week:  Insomnia, and I hate it.  Kidney pain has been getting worse.  I hope it’s not another kidney stone.

Happy times this week:  Christmas!

Belly Button Status:  Further out this week. Any minute now it’s going to pop out all the way.

Food Cravings:  Nothing particular this week.  Although I did look forward to the little meatballs at Christmas Eve all week long.

Dr. Visits:  Let’s see.  First I saw the Asthma doctor; he put me on heartburn medicine because apparently heartburn causes lung problems…who knew?  Not me.  Then I saw the Hematologist; my hemoglobin went up by 2 points after the last transfusion.  Yay!  Now if it can stay up.  Finally, saw the OB on Wednesday.  Everything was looking good and on track.

Labor Signs: Sunday night I had BH contractions all night.  I was afraid something was up, but then they went away Monday.  I’ve noticed that I’m waking up with BH contractions several times most nights.  Even though they don’t hurt, it’s hard to sleep with them.  And it seems like Bella fights against the contractions, she flips out and goes crazy during them.  Great, this should make for a fun labor.

Projects I worked on this week:  With Christmas I didn’t have time for much this week.

Looking Forward to: Shower in 2 weeks!  Taking it easy during the New Years break.

Only 6 weeks until delivery!  Holy Crap, that’s less than 50 days.

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Total Weight Gain: 23 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week:  More heartburn, and feeling like an elephant, but nothing too bad this week.

Happy times this week:  She’s not too small!!  Yay!  And she’s practically perfect in every way.

Belly Button Status:  Still half-way in and half out.

Food Cravings:  Oh god… we had a cheese cube crisis Thursday night, you have no idea…

Dr. Visits:  Saw the Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist.  Found out she is 3 lbs 1 oz and measuring just fine in the 36th percentile.

Projects I worked on this week:  Embroidered some onsies.  Got the office set up with her pack-n-play.

Looking Foward to: Christmas next week!

We’re officially in the 8th month now!  Only 7 weeks until delivery!

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Total Weight Gain: 21 lbs.

Pregnancy Woes this week:  Another transfusion…heartburn…rib pain.

Happy times this week:  We had a 3-D ultrasound on Tuesday and got to see her beautiful face.  She’s a sucker.  She liked to suck on her hand, her arm, her toes.  Also got a new OB this week that I love.  I feel safe and confident in my doctor now.  Whew, huge sigh of relief.

Belly Button Status:  Still half-way in and half out.  When I wear shirts it pokes out most of the time now.  My husband says it feels like bubble gum.

Food Cravings:  Nothing particular lately.

Dr. Visits:  Saw my new OB and Hematologist this week.  Got a referral for a maternal fetal specialist because of my blood disorder and also because I am measuring small.  I’ll see that doctor next week.  I feel like an old person with all these doctor appointments.  Also had my glucose tolerance test and I passed.

New OB decided we would schedule delivery for somewhere in the 28th week so that I can get a transfusion right before delivery.  I’m happy to have it scheduled, now I can plan accordingly.  This also means instead of having 10 weeks to go, we only have about 8 weeks to go…holy crap.  She’s coming soon!

Projects I worked on this week:  Worked on embroidery projects while getting transfusion.

Looking Foward to: Ultrasound at the maternal fetal specialist.

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