My Lil’ Parasite Baby Blog

37 Weeks Already? August 28, 2008

Our appointments are getting to be pretty routine now; just a quick wee in a cup, check the ol’ blood pressure, record my weight gain, measure my belly, and check the baby’s heart rate. All results were great today! Blood pressure was 110/70 and I’ve gained just a pound since last week. Baby’s heart rate is still good and he’s moving around lots; there is no sign of him slowing down. He’s taken to stretching out horizontally in my belly, especially when my tummy is rubbed. He braces his back against my ribs (thanks, kid, that feels great!) and pushes his feet out. Brian had a lot of fun encouraging him to do that today in the waiting room!

I’m really glad that I don’t have to go in to work now. My ribs are hurting so bad it feels like they are breaking. The only “comfortable” position is lying on my side. It’s hard to get any work done like that. Actually, it feels alright to stand up, too, but I get light-headed if I’m upright for an extended period.

We had yet another baby shower this past weekend arranged by our friends, Jessie and Brian. It was at a local restaurant and we got so many nice toys and clothes. People have been so generous with us, the attention is both heart-warming and embarrassing. Haha! I still have a ton of “thank-you’s” to write for our other showers and so much “nesting” I want to do, but can’t, at least not until Brian gets finished printing shirts for H20. Only then can we start arranging the nursery. I hope that’s soon, b/c we’ve only got 2.5 weeks until our estimated due date. I can’t believe how time has flown by!

That’s all for now. Until next week, or my water breaks, whichever comes first.

Captain, My Captain! August 26, 2008

Well, our hero could come at any second, but I don’t think he’s quite ready to make his world debut. At our appointment last Thursday, the doctor said he weighs around 6 lbs. or so, and his head is at -1 station in my pelvis. That’s one cm above “0 Station” which means he is “engaged” - like a missile ready to shoot out! The doc didn’t tell me anything about my effacement, but my cervix still has a CLOSED FOR BUSINESS sign on it. His heartbeat is still good; 140 bpm when at rest and 165 bpm when he’s agitated. My back is killing me now, so I’ve started going to the chiropractor. I felt absolutely euphoric after my appointment yesterday, and it was also my last day at work. For the next few weeks I’ll be getting things ready around the house and also getting some much-needed rest. I am starting to get extremely impatient with people and exceedingly likely to say rude things to anyone who crosses me. Best that I’m locked up until this baby arrives so I don’t get arrested! Haha.

That’s all for now. Next appointment is in 2 days.

Captain Cantaloupe August 8, 2008

Well, our appointment today was l-o-o-o-ng! I’ve been having some spotting, so the nurse put me on a fetal heart monitor for about 45 minutes. Good grief. Everything looked fine though; the baby was moving around plenty and his heart rate went up every time, so that was encouraging. Then I had what must have been my 9th ultrasound. I hope the Captain hasn’t been fried from all the imaging! The doctor estimates his current size at 5 lbs. 6 oz. and he has plenty of fluid in there. I was a little worried about that since I am very lax about drinking the requisite amount of water. I just never get thirsty, but I know I need to get more fluids in me! Baby is already head down with his legs and arms reaching out to my left, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that he doesn’t somersault into a breech position. I don’t think I want to have a c-section. So, if the baby is totally fine, then why the spotting? The doctor thinks it might be a bladder infection! Let’s hope the test results come back soon so I can do something about that if need be. That’s all for now. Toodles.

33 Weeks and Our Peanut is the size of a Pineapple! July 28, 2008

Well, last week’s appointment went really well! My rapid weight gain has finally slowed and according to the doctor’s scale, I’ve only gained 2 pounds in the last month. My scale at home says I’ve put on 38 lbs. since I discovered I was pregnant, which is a bit higher than normal, but certainly not terrible. My blood pressure was an excellent 102/60 and even though I’ve been feeling exhausted lately, a blood test showed that my hemoglobin level is an amazing 14.8 (normal is 12 - 16). I know it sounds bad, but I was actually hoping I would have a viable medical excuse to give Brian as to why I’m so tired all the time, but, no such “luck.” Ha. Seriously though, I’m amazed and thankful that everything seems to be going so well during this pregnancy.

Captain Pineapple’s heart rate was up a bit from last time and was around 150 bpm. I think that’s due to all his increased activity. It seems he’s ALWAYS moving so I don’t even bother doing “kick counts.” At my request, the doctor felt my abdomen to see if she could tell if he’s “head down” yet, and it appears that he is. Of course there is still time for him to change his mind and assume the breech position again, but I’m hoping he won’t do that. The doctor said 36 weeks is the critical point for determining his position at birth; if he’s not head down at that point, then they would have to try to get him to turn or else do a c-section.

So all in all, my pregnancy experience has proved to be pretty routine and fairly comfortable, although it’s getting a little more difficult to do some things. I can still bend over, but I have to suck in my stomach to do that without it hurting me. Getting out of the car is a lot tougher, especially if I’ve just had a meal. I’m trying to train Brian to open and close my car door without me having to whine about how tough it is to reach the door handle. Haha. I’m getting up every 2 hours to pee, which is negatively affecting my mood and energy, but I suppose it’s also preparing me for the joy of repeated middle-of-the-night feedings! I’ve also got the most EXCRUCIATING heartburn. I’m popping over-the-counter Pepcid and Zantac like candy right now, but I might need to get a prescription from the doctor if it keeps on like this. It doesn’t happen at night very often, but every few hours during the day when my stomach empties it’s a painful reminder that I need something else to eat. With all these new discomforts, I am definitely snippier than I have been over the last 7 months, but Brian is a trooper and he’s very excited to be a Daddy. Thank God for him.

We had another baby shower this weekend at my Granny’s house in Maryland. My mom didn’t have a whole lot to do with our wedding planning, so she went over the top planning this gathering. She bought such great food, had a beautiful cake made, and really worked her butt off to make sure it was a special day for us. I love you, Ma! I saw lots of folks I haven’t seen in years—the “cousins” I used to play with as a child, my real aunts and cousins, and several friends from high school. It was very hot, but a lot of fun, and we got so many nice gifts. Our baby is going to be one well-dressed little peanut with all the fabulous clothes he received. We also got a full-size stroller, an umbrella stroller, a baby sling, a swing, a Bumbo seat, many blankets, money, toys, and a lot of other items. Granny is not blood, but she and her clan have always treated me as if I was one of their own, which means a lot to me. We got so much baby “booty” that we couldn’t haul it all home. We had to send it with my aunts Debbie and Carolyn and hopefully Mom will bring it down to us soon. I’ve got a lot of things to wash and put away!

This weekend we went to go see an exhibit at the Maryland Science Center called “Body Worlds 2.” It featured the dissected bodies of several people displayed in, well, unconventional poses. Most folks would probably find it pretty disturbing, and even I found it a bit grotesque, but it was still intriguing and humbling to see what lies beneath our integument. The most interesting part of the exhibit for me was the section on reproduction. They had a woman who was 5 months pregnant at the time of her death and her uterus was incised to expose the tiny baby inside. I stood next to her and joked to Brian that I was the live model. Yes, I have a bit of a morbid sense of humor. C’mon, the woman donated her body to science, so I would think she had a good attitude about such things! I hope…

Well, that’s all for now. We’ve got another appointment next week so look for another report soon.

29 Weeks and our little butternut squash is still doing fine! July 1, 2008

Well, we had another appointment on Friday and got to meet another doctor in the practice. He was nice and had a wry sense of humor, but he talks way too fast. I really hope he’s not the one to deliver the baby because I won’t understand any of the instructions he gives me. Luckily, the odds are in my favor that I will get a woman since by the time the Captain arrives, that doc will be outnumbered by ladies 3:1. The baby’s heart rate is around 135 bpm, which is normal since the heart rate steadily decreases as the baby grows.

Captain Peanut is very excited to get out here and shiver all of your timbers! I’m getting bigger every day and it’s getting harder and harder to get out of bed or bend over. Although I can still do those sorts of things, I’ve warned Brian that he will need to get a crane and start hoisting me around like a beached whale. Total weight gain at this point is just over 30 pounds and we’ve got 10 weeks to go! I’m trying to get enough exercise, but, damn, I’m tired and it’s so easy to get out of breath!

Well, that’s all for now I guess. Look for another update in a couple of weeks.

26 week check-up - Captain Peanut is the length of an English cucumber! June 13, 2008

Well, Brian and I went in today to get a belly check and have my blood drawn for a gestational diabetes test. We won’t find out the results of that until tomorrow at the earliest, but I’m doubting it’ll be anything but normal since everything has been fine up until this point. I now weigh 170 lbs., which is a gain of 24 lbs. since I had my first exam. Not bad. By this point the books say a 16-22 lb. weight gain is normal, so hooray for me! We had the doctor we saw on our first three visits and she was nice and calm today, so I will assume that we had issues before simply because she was too stressed out from being on call.

As for the Captain, he is doing just fine. We got to have another ultrasound today; I think that brings our total scans up to about 7. We’ve sure got a lot of pics of the baby’s development!!! He is in the breech presentation (head up and butt down), which is normal for this stage of the game. It’ll just be an issue if he doesn’t flip around before the actual birth. His heart rate was 140 bpm, which is right in the middle of the appropriate range. The doc’ said based on his femur length that he weighs 1 lb. 15 oz., which is almost 2 lbs. for those who don’t know their weight conversions. That’s about what he would weigh at 27 weeks, so maybe he’ll grace us with his presence a wee bit early? I hope so! I’ve never been so excited to meet someone! We also got to see his “goods” again, and there is no doubt that we’re having a well-endowed little boy! He’s been kicking up a storm over the last few weeks and I realized that I’ve been having Braxton-Hicks contractions since the evening after our shower. They are getting stronger and more frequent, but are nothing to worry about, so sayeth the doctor.

An amusing anecdote: Our 13-year-old kitty, Selena, has always loved to perch on my belly, probably because it’s warm and squishy. Now that I’m getting more rotund, I’m not comfortable letting her get on me as much, but the other night I didn’t stop her from ascending my baby mountain. Well, she stepped right about where Captain Peanut’s head is, and he punched her foot in retaliation! It really made me laugh out loud and scared Selena a bit. She hasn’t tried to get back on me since!

From now on it’ll be doctor’s visits every 2 weeks. I will have a male doctor next time in an effort to meet everyone in the practice prior to the birth so there are no surprises on the big day. Look for another update at the end of June!

Just a little update… May 28, 2008

We had a nice little co-ed baby shower on Sunday and got some really cute clothes, a Swing-n-Bounce baby seat, a Boppy, several baby blankets, a monitor, and some various baby cleaning supplies, which I am sure will come in handy! It was nice to see Brian’s family again and we all had a great time. Later that evening, I felt the Captain for the first time while I was lying on a recliner in Brian’s parents’ living room. I’m not talking about his movements; I actually felt one of his body parts sticking out of my abdomen, most likely his rump! It was delightful, but I was very surprised that I would feel that so early, since I’m only 24 weeks. His kicks are getting a lot stronger and more frequent. I can also tell when he turns over, which, to me, feels like there is a thick rope in my belly and someone is twisting it. It’s a burning sensation, not too painful, but very foreign to this first-time mama. When I told Mom about all the baby’s activities, she said “I guess he’s not going to be a sleeper like you were!” Dang it. She’s probably right! I’m going to have to drink a lot of caffeine to keep up with this little monkey…

23 Weeks May 23, 2008

I just had my week 23 appointment with the OB and our little guy’s heart rate is an excellent 141 beats per minute. My blood pressure is nice and normal at 108/70. The wee bairn is writhing around in my belly quite a bit now, which feels similar to riding a roller coaster, or going over a hill in a fast car. My fundal height is currently at 23 cm, which is right on target. Peanut’s first baby shower is this Memorial Day weekend, and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone again. One of Brian’s co-workers was nice enough to give us some baby clothes, and we’ve already accumulated some toys and baby books. I can see we’re going to need a bigger house before too long! Speaking of Brian’s co-workers, a woman who just started working there this week is due the day after me. Crazy, huh? I guess Christmas was a romantic time for a lot of other folks, too…

Sorry this is kind of boring, but there’s just not a whole lot to report right now. There are no new pictures or anything, so the anticipation of seeing our boy is driving me crazy! I’m trying to get used to all the extra weight I’ve gained (22 lbs. - yowza!) and the other weird stuff that happens to you when you “fall” pregnant, as the Brits say. All in all, it’s been very easy so far, but I know I’ve got a long way to go still.

In three weeks I’ll have a blood glucose check, which I’m anticipating will be normal since everything else has been up to this point. Until then, the Captain and I bid you adieu.

19 Weeks, Almost Half-way There! May 1, 2008

Well, I’m posting this up a week and a half late, so I’m actually over the 20 week hump now. On Monday, April 28, 2008 I felt Captain PeanutbutterBananapants (this kid is going to be weighed down with a lot of nicknames) kicking for the first time. I’d been having the fluttery, bubbly sensations other women describe, but I could never be quite sure whether he was moving or I just had gas. Well, I shall wonder no longer! I can tell the Capt. has a lot of energy and will be running circles around my uterus in no time. All the pictures below came from our Level 2 Ultrasound appointment. They made me go in for a thorough work-up that lasted over an hour. This was to make sure no birth defects resulted from my taking RetinA for a few days when Capt. PB was still a piece of flotsam in my uterine canal. I didn’t think there would be any issues, but those doctors get off on scaring the bejeezus out of us pregos. Anyway, everything looked fine, and if you couldn’t tell from perusing the pix, we found out that we’re having a boy. Brian and I are both really excited! As for my health, I’m feeling pretty good and have a lot more energy than I did a month ago. My belly is growing and I’ve gained about 17 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. Yeah, that’s a lot, but what are you gonna do? I’m trying to hold steady, but it’s hard since I’m hungry all the time. I’m embracing the weight gain and love showing it off in all my new maternity clothes. Well, that’s all for now. Our next appointment is the first week of May when we will go in for a fetal EKG, just to be absolutely sure that everything is developing nicely. I’m starting to get sick of all these appointments, but it’s nice to hear that our baby is looking good!

15 weeks…this one’s a keeper! March 27, 2008

Well, today we had visit #5 to check the status of our hero, Captain Peanut. As I said to Krista earlier this week, it’s probably time to give our dear Captain a new nickname since he/she has grown so much in the last few weeks. Admiral Avocado, perhaps?

Anyway, today’s visit to the OB was great. I had a different doctor this time, and she was older and less tense. I’m giving my other doctor the benefit of the doubt and will assume that it was merely coincidental that she always seemed to be having a stressful day! We didn’t have an ultrasound this time, just a heartbeat check using a handheld Doppler device. The rate was 152 beats per minute and the doc said the rhythm was strong and LOUD. We heard that for ourselves, and Brian and I were both grinning from ear to ear. I got to ask lots of questions today and found out that our hospital is very nice and that they let you assume whatever positions you want to ease the pain, as long as it’s not risky to the baby or me. I think I’d like to give a birthing ball a try. I can’t say I’m not going to have an epidural, but I’m certainly not going into this determined to be on drugs. Methinks we’ll play it by ear!

So, we’ve got 3 appointments scheduled for the month of April: 1) The first is in a week and a half when they will do an AFP test, which just involves drawing blood. They looks for abnormalities that may indicate birth defects. I’m not too worried about that, though, since all our other tests have come back totally normal. 2) In 3 weeks we go for a Level 2 Ultrasound, which will look for any physical defects. Again, I’m not too concerned, but the docs encouraged it since I took Retin-A for a week before I knew I was prego. That is in the same class of chemicals as Accutane, which causes severe birth defects. However, to my knowledge, no birth defects have ever been correlated to Retin-A use. Bonus: At this visit, we may get to have a look at Captain Peanut’s/Admiral Avocado’s “goods” and see what we’re having. How exciting! 3) 4 weeks from now we’ll have another regular office “tummy check” to give me the once-over and make sure things are still moving along.

I’ve gained 9 pounds so far, which is about where you should be when you are 5 months pregnant. Whoops! Once again I am ahead of the curve! The doc said I was okay though and “didn’t look too puffy.” Brian and I both thought that was pretty funny. Here’s to staying not too puffy!

See you next time!