36 weeks - Less than a month! And new ultrasound picture!

Hey everyone!

36 weeks!

Less than a month until Zoie's due date! It's really starting to hit me how soon she'll be here. James and I have been talking about what to bring to the hospital, and making sure we have all the last baby items we need.

Today I brought our Britax car seat to the local fire station for their weekly car seat check. The fireman (who was trained in a 5-day car seat course, that's intense!) made sure that we were using our Subaru's LATCH system properly, and that the car seat's incline was correct for a newborn. He also instructed to push firmly down on the seat while tightening the LATCH straps to get the snuggest attachment. Looks like we're good to go!

Also today, James and I went to see our baby's 36 week ultrasound! Zoie's anatomy is still looking perfect, and she has a head full of hair already. She is still measuring small by the ultrasound's estimations, but so far it's nothing to worry about. It was so fun to see her little chubby cheeks, and we think she yawned! She had her hands up by her face, and kept moving around gently. Her head is super low in my pelvis, with her face towards my back (so unfortunately we didn't get to see much of her face!). It's reassuring to know that she is in the correct position for delivery, and this explains the increased pressure I feel in my pelvis.

Here's the only photo we got of Zoie's face (forehead is on the right). Cute chubby cheeks!

Here's Zoie's estimated development at 36 weeks:

How far along are you? 36 weeks today - less than a month until her due date! Although I'm predicting she's going to arrive a little bit late.
 
How big is Baby? On average, she should be about 18.5 inches long, and her weight should be almost 6 pounds! However, the ultrasound today predicted Zoie to be 5lb 2oz, so she's still measuring a little small. Oh well, I can't complain about delivering a slightly smaller baby!

Weight Gain? Morning weight was 153 - steadily gaining! Total weight gain = 21.5 pounds.

Gender? Baby GIRL!

Maternity Clothes? All the time. It's been so long since I've purchased regular clothes, I'm ready to go shopping after Zoie is born! And I'd like to find a few cute non-maternity nursing tops. I finally found a comfortable nursing bra that I love! I ordered it online from Target.

Sleep? It's been going okay this week. Still waking up a lot, still kind of uncomfortable, but it's not too bad.

Movement? She's SO wiggly! Big shifting movements, and constantly poking out limbs all over my belly.

Food Cravings? Citrus has still been awesome. And I'm still craving a really good maple bar - might have to make them myself, I can't find anything good enough to satisfy!

Labor Signs? Several people have asked me about Braxton-Hicks contractions - I think I've only felt one or two (a while ago) this whole pregnancy. Perhaps I'm experiencing some now, but it's hard to tell if it's just Zoie shifting and putting pressure on my belly or if my muscles are actually contracting.

Belly Button in or out? Belly button hasn't changed in a few weeks - I think we're safe from it becoming too reckless!

What I miss? Lately I've been trying to imagine what I will miss once baby is here - we only have about 4 weeks of time alone! I'm soaking up my free time - reading, exercising, shopping, cooking, cleaning... and enjoying all the time with James that I can!

Best moment(s) of the week? These past few days and weekend have been great! Delicious Mongolian grill dinner to celebrate James' dad's birthday, Saturday exploring Kansas City with James and dinner with my friend Jenn, and a very relaxing Sunday (anyone else see the Super Moon?). And of course, today James and I got to see our little girl on the ultrasound!

What I am looking forward to? This Saturday, two of my amazing friends from college are getting married back in Seattle! I'm really missing them, and wish my due date was a little farther away so we could make the trip! Looking forward to all the pictures of the beautiful event.
 
Cheers,

Martha

35 weeks - Only 35 days until Zoie is due!

Hey guys!

35 weeks!

One more week closer to meeting Zoie, we're getting so excited! We have all the baby gear we need, we've practiced installing our Britax car seat, and we've completed all the newborn education classes at the hospital. But really... are we ready for the responsibility of another human being? AHHHH!!!

I've been reading some good books about newborn development, childbirth, and parenting styles. One of my favorites has been "Natural Hospital Birth" by Cynthia Gabriel - she gives great advice about how to work with your medical team to achieve a natural birth experience. I'm feeling pretty good about heading into labor - what an exciting thing my body was designed to do! I'm prepared for it to be more painful than anything I could imagine, but I want that amazing drug-free feeling of our baby leaving my body and entering the world. The best advice on how to make this happen? Labor at home for as long as you can - go to the hospital at the last minute!

Pregnancy marches on. I'm starting to really look forward to Zoie being out of my belly! Sleeping is growing more uncomfortable, and I'm starting to feel more tired during the day. Nothing compared to the sleepless nights we'll face after Zoie is born, but still - it's annoying when your own body won't give you a break!

No one told me that getting out of bed gets very awkward towards the end of pregnancy. I actually fell on the floor trying to roll out of bed - the book on my nightstand slipped off when I tried to support my weight in standing up, and I crashed down on my butt! Pretty alarming for James in the middle of the night...

Unquenchable thirst is also something relatively new. I always have my water bottle with me, and drain 20oz throughout each night as I'm waking up every hour. I don't even like drinking water! But feeling parched isn't any better.

At 35 weeks, our Zoie is getting so big! Here's what she might look like:




How far along are you? 35 weeks - only 2 more weeks until she's considered full term (at 37 weeks, she wouldn't technically be considered premature if she was born - her lungs and organs are strong enough to survive the outside world!) and 5 more weeks until her due date!
 
How big is Baby? Zoie is gaining about half a pound per week, so right now she should be about 5.25lb. She should measure just over 18 inches long - about the size of a honeydew melon.

Weight Gain? My mid-morning weight was 152. I'm feeling quite heavy... total weight gain = 20.5 pounds!

Gender? Girl!

Maternity Clothes? Oh yes. And all those big unisex T-shirts from college and events that I keep for working out? They actually fit me properly now. Belly is getting huge.

Sleep? Sleeping is definitely getting more uncomfortable... hips get sore (even with a pillow between my knees), belly hangs heavily on whatever side I'm sleeping on, congestion makes breathing awkward, frequent heartburn (I keep Tums on my nightstand), thirst, and several bathroom trips. I sound like a mess! However, no calf cramps this week! My dad recently mentioned that pointing your toes when stretching out your legs can trigger a cramp - and so far he's right! I've stuck to only flexing my feet to get a good stretch, and no cramps yet. Yay!

Movement? Still lots and lots of movement. Especially right when I wake up in the morning, after dinner, and when I lay down for the evening.

Food Cravings? Nothing new this week. We had a BBQ get-together yesterday, and indulged in many delicious foods! Chili dogs with onions and cheese, mmmmm...

Labor Signs? No Braxton-Hicks contractions that I'm aware of. I do suspect Zoie is starting to descend lower in my abdomen though - I can feel her wiggling really low in my belly sometimes and she's putting more pressure on my bladder. We'll get to see how she's positioned next week at our 36 week ultrasound.

Belly Button in or out? It might be about as poked out as it will go, which isn't terribly far. It's noticeable when wearing t-shirts, but it's not as bad as I predicted!

What I miss? Beer, and feeling more energetic. I can't wait to shed this weight!

Best moment(s) of the week? We didn't end up going to Omaha (James had to work on Sunday), but this weekend we went to our local Sunset Zoo! I loved it - they had a 4 month old baby chimpanzee! And otters. And a... bald eagle? I mean, I see them everywhere in Washington, but hey that's cool. James and I also saw Man of Steel on Friday - definitely worth seeing!

What I am looking forward to? This Saturday, James and I are visiting one of my best college buds in Kansas City! It's gonna be a great weekend.
 
Cheers,

Martha

34 weeks - The 6 week countdown!

Hi everyone,

34 weeks!

Things are HOT here in Kansas. Only six more weeks of being hot and pregnant (fingers crossed)! The time has come where I'm starting to feel uncomfortable pretty frequently. Zoie moves all the time... morning afternoon and night! It's wonderful for her development, but it still feels pretty bizarre (not to mention distracting and ticklish). I'm sure I'll miss it once she's born, so I'm trying to enjoy pregnancy as much as I can. It's an incredible experience, but I can't say that I love being pregnant.

I had my 34 week checkup yesterday, and things are still looking great. My nurse practitioner was checking Zoie's heart rate, a steady 144 BPM, when suddenly Zoie kicked the Doppler and her heart rate jumped to 175 BPM! My nurse said that was a great sign that Zoie is healthy. She explained that a distressed baby's heart rate won't increase when she kicks or is stimulated. Way to go Zoie!

My next appointment is in two weeks, where I'll be tested for group B streptococcus (a quick little vaginal swab). I really hope I test negative - my nurse said that about 30% of women test positive for group B strep. It's not a disease and there aren't any symptoms for the mother, but testing positive means that the mother can pass group B strep onto her baby during labor, which can make the baby ill. To reduce the risk of this, hospitals give women who test positive an IV of antibiotics during labor. The IV takes about 30 minutes to administer, which is 30 minutes longer than I want to spend tied to the bed with a needle in my arm! I'm pretty sure I'm going to be easing through contractions in the whirlpool for 90% of the time.

Also at our 36 week appointment, we will get to see Zoie on the ultrasound! I'm SO excited to see our sweet baby, she's going to be so big and developed! However, I also feel a little weird about having a third ultrasound... there hasn't been any long-term research to guarantee how safe they are for babies. Besides, the measurements and weight that ultrasounds estimate can be pretty unreliable. I'm curious how Zoie will measure up this time around, but I'm not too worried if she looks "small".

Here's our little lady at 34 weeks of development:



How far along are you? 34 weeks - only 42 days left until her due date!
 
How big is Baby? Zoie should weigh about 4.75 pounds, and measure almost 18 inches long. She's the size of a cantaloupe!

Weight Gain? My morning weight was 150 (150!!). Total weight gain = 18.5lb.

Gender? Baby girl!

Maternity Clothes? Yes indeed. I really like my maternity clothes, so luckily I'm not sick of them yet! To all the ladies out there, buy maternity items early before you need them! Then you can spend time selecting really cute clothes on sale.

Sleep? Some nights are better than others. I wake up a lot to use the bathroom (nothing new), but can usually fall asleep again pretty easily. If I stretch and flex my legs in the morning (or middle of the night), sometimes it triggers an intense calf cramp! A few mornings ago, I cried out in pain and woke up James because it hurt so badly! Luckily cramps only last 15-20 seconds, and then I spend a few minutes soothing the muscle with gentle stretching.

Movement? She never stops! I think her naps are becoming less frequent. She gets the hiccups several times each day.

Food Cravings? Mango has been the most consistent craving. I even bought a can of mango nectar and enjoyed it over ice. So good!

Labor Signs? Nothing yet (I don't think). My nurse practitioner said that it would be normal to feel my belly tightening for about 1 minute at a time on random occasions (Braxton-Hicks contractions). Sometimes I feel a tightening in my belly, but I realize it's just Zoie shifting around trying to high-five me.

Belly Button in or out? Poking out a tiny bit more. A little odd, but the skin on my poked-out bit is baby soft!

What I miss? Being generally comfortable sitting/lying down/standing. My belly feels large and in charge, and shifting positions is getting awkward. I can hardly bend forward, Zoie is blocking all my space! I miss being able to put on shoes (and socks, underwear, pants...) with ease.

Best moment(s) of the week? Yesterday, I enjoyed an hour-long prenatal massage... it was amazing! I got to lay on my side, snuggled with a soft body pillow that contoured my body. Soft music, dim lights, sweet smelling oils and lotion... and Zoie was party-rocking! The more relaxed I felt, the more active she became! I think we both bad a good time :)

What I am looking forward to? This weekend is a 4-day weekend for James! First of all, I'm really looking forward to getting my Subaru's AC fixed on Friday. Hundred degree heat is the perfect time for it to break, eh? We're thinking of driving over to Omaha, Nebraska for a night this weekend - they have an amazing zoo!

Cheers,

Martha

33 weeks - We're having a baby NEXT MONTH!

Happy June, everyone!

33 weeks!

Just over 2 weeks until summer begins! I wonder what kind of weather we'll experience here in Kansas. I've heard that last year around this time, it was already in the 100 degree zone (and humid!). Whew! Luckily, we've been enjoying some beautiful 70-80 degree weather.

It's so much fun to be able to say that next month, we'll have a baby! I can't believe how quickly our lives are about to change forever. Time to cherish these last weeks of doing whatever we feel like, because soon our lives will revolve around the needs of our tiny infant. Is she well-rested? Fed? Comfortable? Warm enough? Wearing a clean diaper? So many things to keep track of in the current moment, and so many things to plan for when we're away from the house! Nothing will be simple anymore.

That being said, what an amazing privilege it is to care for a newborn! One of the books I'm reading right now encourages new parents to view the constant care they provide (at 1am, 2am, 3am...) as a way of humbly serving their baby. I like thinking about it like that - instead of being grumpy about waking up for the 4th time during the night for a feeding or diaper change, we should see it as a privilege to serve this tiny being during this short helpless period of its life.

I wonder all the time about what kind of baby Zoie will be - will she cry a lot? Will she get the hang of breastfeeding right away? When will she start crawling? What will she look like? I can't WAIT to meet her!

On Wednesday, James had his Daddy Basics class (along with the other guys whose wives signed them up), and it was great to hear that he enjoyed it! I know he's going to be amazing dad. Zoie is a lucky girl :)

Here's our baby at 33 weeks of development:



How far along are you? 33 weeks along - Only 49 days until her due date!
 
How big is Baby? Zoie should be just over 4 pounds now, and just over 17 inches long from head to heel. She's about the size of a hefty pineapple.

Weight Gain? My morning weight was 149. Total weight gain = 17.5lb.

Gender? Girl!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! I'm pretty well set for the next 7 weeks. My next project is to find a couple of awesome nursing bras... easier said than done!

Sleep? Sleep is still going pretty well, but I really miss sleeping on my back! Since my belly is getting heavier, I'm a little more nervous about my abdomen resting on my major blood vessels (thus reducing blood flow to Zoie, not to mention my lower body). Zoie regularly tickles my ribs and hip if I lay on my left side, so laying on my right side is my only option sometimes. Blah.

Movement? Yes, all the time! Lots of big shifting movement, and some random jabs/kicks. Her most active time of day is when I first wake up, while I'm still in bed. I've figured out a comparison for her movement. If you close your eyes and lightly touch your eyelid while moving your eyes left and right, that's what my belly feels like!

Food Cravings? Mango, maple bars, and milk chocolate. And anything cheesy or creamy.

Labor Signs? Nope, nothing this week either.

Belly Button in or out? Stretching a little wider, but not poking out any further this week.

What I miss? Being able to to exercise and be active the way I used to. I can't wait to go mountain biking, take intense yoga and fitness classes, and regain the feeling of agility!

Best moment(s) of the week? Weekends are always the best. James and I met up with some friends at a dive bar on Friday night, which is actually less than a 10 minute walk from our house! They had the best DJ - throwing back dance hits from high school and college. It might be a new hangout place for us, haha! On Sunday, we had some friends stay with us on their road trip to Colorado. I got to hold and snuggle their 3 month old baby girl, and it made me so excited for our own little Zoie next month.

What I am looking forward to? The weekend. No particular plans yet, but I love just spending time with James doing whatever we feel like. We only have 7 more weekends alone together until Zoie is due to arrive!

Cheers,

Martha