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.
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