40 weeks + 1 day Pregnant

Yesterday was father's day. We had our annual picnic with Scott's mom's side, and then climbed the Marsh Tower...
Yep...I climbed that...144 steps. Not one damn contraction! FML...Later on, I was sewing up some cloth wipes and at 11pm started getting a few contractions. We went to bed shortly after, I felt like something was definitely going on. I tried not to get to excited, and ended up falling asleep around midnight or a bit after. I woke a few times to some contractions, but eventually fell deeper into sleep and by morning, there was nothing again. I had my chiropractor appointment today and she did the labor inducing pressure points again. She predicted from feeling my pressure points that it will be today or tomorrow. God I hope so!! I did get a few contractions from her adjusting me and using the pressure points. And I have continued having very few mild contractions since. I have since done the dishes and plan to finish cleaning up the house. Not sure what the rest of the day holds for us, but I might go buy some castor oil. We'll see.

More soon! :) 

39 weeks + 4 days Pregnant Midwife Update

Midwife update:

Had my 39 week appointment today, here's the stats:

weight up 2 from last week--seriously!?! come on! total for pregnancy 43lbs

Blood Pressure: 124/68

Pulse: 70

Fundal Height: 43cm

Fetal Heart Rate: 130bpm

Fetal Position: LOA

Estimated Fetal Weight: 9lbs!! Holy Schnikies!


I also must mention that Monday, I had a bout of diarrhea and then was crampy all day. I really thought that was it...it was labor time...but alas, no contractions. I still have crampy-ness throughout the day here and there, but its not like it was on Monday. Either way, I know labor is coming. My doula thinks it will be Monday. Something about first time mommas having diarrhea one week from labor. Fingers crossed!!

PS, my last day of work is tomorrow! Hurray!!! 

Pregnancy Week 38

How far along: 38 Weeks

Weight gain: +5 from last week! Wahhh? 41 for the pregnancy...swell much?

Stretch marks: absolutely

Maternity clothes: yes yes and yes!

Sleep: eh...up and down. I seem to sleep hard and wake often.

Best moment this week: Spending an amazing evening with Scott outside with a campfire and cooking our food over the fire. (tin foil potatoes and cheddarwurst on the tripod, and blueberry pudgie pies!)

Miss anything: just the normal, sleeping on my belly, seeing my ankles, my hands not tingling.

Cravings: nothing really, sweets probably.

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: boy!

Wedding rings: off

Belly button: still in

Movements: fewer, but I know he's out of room in there, so many of them aren't so noticeable, even when he does move around--especially if I'm distracted.

Symptoms: tingling hands, swollen ankles/feet, mood swings--mostly just disappointed when things dont feel like they are moving along, tired--been taking lots more naps. slight nesting.

Mood: usually pretty good. I do get cranky when I have to go to work again every morning...and at night when I feel like I haven't progressed or had any contractions.

MIDWIFE UPDATE:
see my previous post on labor watch #3 and small update.

I know any mother or soon to be mother can relate to the last few week of pregnancy being the worst. I am in total agreement!! These last few days have felt longer than many of the weeks I've been through recently. Of course every mother wants her baby to be healthy and strong, but we also want the waiting to be over. I can not wait to see what little Liam looks like, what his cry will sound like, how much hair he has, what his temperment will be, all those questions that have been floating around in my head since before conception. They are finally building up to these last few days of waiting. And it's driving me crazy! lol. I love him so entirely already, I cant wait to see his face and smell his scent. :)

Hopefully my next post will be with my little one in my arms :) Thank you all for your love and support!

Nikky

Pregnancy Week 37

FULL TERM!!
I cant believe it! I'm finally here! Now, I just need to work on June 1st and then I can go into labor anytime. Working on the first will ensure I have insurance until the end of the month. Wahoo!!!

Worst symptoms this week: my hands/wrists falling asleep all day!! Even now, I'm wearing my wrist braces and my fingers are still numb. The braces do, however, make it much easier to sleep and function. Well, because of my hands being numb, I wake up all the time during the night!! Yesterday was the worst. I had such a miserable headache from lack of sleep. And Scott has been sick with sinus issues so I drove both ways to the midwives. Luckily, after a nap, my headache did get slightly better.

Anyways...

How Far: 37 Weeks!!! :)

Weight gain: -1lb since last week+36 for the pregnancy.

Stretch marks: yes

Maternity clothes: of course

Sleep: Terrible...when Im not waking to pee (usually 2-3 times a night) I am waking because my hands are asleep and I cant use them to help me turn over...

Best moment this week: just making it through another week, and getting closer to seeing my little man!

Miss anything? Sleep, sleeping on my belly, my hands working properly

Cravings: nothing particular

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really, still smelly people...ew

Gender: boy!

Wedding rings: havent tried recently, but im sure they still wont fit.

belly button: i dont think it will ever pop out or be completely flat, but it has definitely changed!

movements: lots, not so much kicks, but his little butt moving around

symptoms: see above, tired, nesting, bh contractions (12ish minutes apart, lasting for 1), still swelling in the feet and ankles--but its been getting slightly better, pubic pain.

Mood: feeling "done" lol. like most women at 37 weeks im sure. I want my little man to be here, and I want my body back, Im SO ready to be a mom! excited! happy! anxious! :)

Midwife update: measuring at 44.5weeks! estimated fetal weight is 7.5-8lbs. my pulse was 60, and b/p was 122/86--a bit higher than normal. My weight was down 1 lb from last week. fetal heart rate was 140. He is still head down and his head is "nice and engaged" as she said. She also mentioned "see you next week...or maybe not" eeekkk!!! 

Scott and I are also trying to get things going. I believe that if Liam is not ready, these things wont work. I have researched and I understand the risks, but like Ive mentioned before, I trust my body. I will be posting throughout the week on "Labor Watch" with updates on my contractions and things we have tried to get labor started.

Thank you all for following me on my journey into motherhood! I am SO excited to continue to share my experiences!

<3 Nikky

Pregnancy Week 36

This week seemed to have just eased right on by. Once all the craziness was over from last week, I found I was searching for things to do to keep my mind occupied. I had a dentist appointment on Tuesday, and a midwife appointment on Wednesday. First off, I haven't been to the dentist in a few years since I didn't have health/dental insurance. But luckily, I only have 3 cavities (that the dr. could see w/o doing x-rays of course). Which made me happy. I get those filled June 4th. Second, my midwife appointment went well. My blood pressure was normal, my pre-eclampsia and group B tests came back negative. The only concerning factor was my in my liver panel my Albumin was low. Which basically means I need to eat LOTS more protein. It's like the pre-cursor to pre-eclampsia. So at this point we can still reverse it with diet. I also did get 6hr work restrictions, which starts tomorrow. Also my fundal height was measuring at 43 weeks, and Liam's estimated weight is up to 7.5lbs!! His heartrate was perfect at 150, and he is still head down.  :)

How far: 36 weeks

Weight gain: up 3 from last week, total for this pregnancy 37.

Stretch marks: of course

Maternity clothes: yes, the only thing I can wear. Im anxious to see where Im at after he's born.

Sleep: its been ok to crappy. my hands fall asleep all the time. I wake up a lot to turn, but find my hands asleep and rarely am I able to get the feeling back before I fall asleep again. This has been very frustrating, as it makes it even more difficult to roll over.

Best moment this week: Finishing the week out (today is sunday) That means I've made it to full term!! :)

Miss anything? My body to myself. I know it sounds terrible, but I am so entirely ready for Liam to be here and to get to know my own body again. I realize there will be many adjustments and changes to relearn, but to sleep on my belly again, have feeling back in my hands, and to see my ankles...sigh...

Cravings: nothing in particular. Ive been pretty focused on getting more protein that I haven't really paid attention to my cravings. I have started eating eggs again, mostly scrambled with spinach and feta.

Anything make you queasy/sick? not particularly. smelly people...ha.

Gender: Boy

Wedding rings: officially off this week. I tried on Wednesday, but it wasn't going anywhere.

Belly button: I didnt think it was going to change still, but it is definitely more shallow than the last few weeks.

Movements: absolutely,  but he is definitely more restricted.

Symptoms: pubic pain, hands falling asleep--almost carpal tunnel like, feet and ankles and calves swollen--seemed slightly better than last week, tired--I've been napping more here and there, braxton hicks contractions--usually in my lower back--very close to my old period cramps.

Mood: emotional, but excited--looking forward to having my little man in my arms!

Today we stopped at an awesome garage sale and I found tons of clothes for Liam. Jeans, pants, dress shirt with vest and tie, onesies, shirts, socks, sleepers, etc. Some really awesome finds. Two grocery bags full for $29.50! Sweet! We really did need more clothes for him. I have the washer going as I type this, I am definitely organized enough for him to get here. I have the 6+ month clothing put away, and everything else washed or being washed and ready for him. The pack n' play is set up and ready with freshly washed sheets. The boppy is waiting, his diaper station is waiting (we'll start using cloth after the meconium stage), the bouncy seat is in the living room anticipating his arrival. Gosh, I cant wait! I'm glad that for the most part, we are ready and not rushing around anymore. I think I may run a bath and then perhaps take a nap. Last night was one of the worst sleep wise in a long ass time! I'd love to relax in a steamy bath. But first, I must switch laundry over and get our last load of baby laundry in before he gets here! Hurray!! :)

Pregnancy Weeks 33, 34, 35

I don't even know where to start...I guess first off, see my previous blog for an explanation to where I've been and what's kept me away from Blog land the last few weeks. I guess I'll just jump right in and try my best to remember everything.


How far along: 35 weeks

Weight gain: went the midwife yesterday. Up 4 from last appointment 3 weeks ago. Total for pregnancy 34.

Stretch marks: yes, not scary deep, but definitely all over! Tiger stripes! Roar!

Maternity Clothes: That bra I bought a few weeks ago is AMAZING!!!! It is so friggen comfortable I have contemplated buying another. I will only be able to use it as a sleep/lounge bra, but still, it is reassuring to have something!

Sleep: I just started within the last week getting up twice to pee. I know many women are up far more times, but if I do wake up a lot to attempt to switch sides. My hands fall asleep a lot, and it wakes me up. My chiropractor things its because of my neck. Who knows.

Best moment this week: definitely my baby shower (see previous post) and my doula visiting.

Miss anything? Beer--but I think its mostly because I would have drank a lot these few weeks with all the stress I was under. Lunch meat.

Cravings: Salty things. Chips, fries, snacky things.

Anything make you queasy or sick: Just stress...lol

Gender: Boy

Wedding rings: On, but barely

Belly Button: Still there...

Movements: He is definitely running out of room. His movements are getting more and more painful.

Symptoms: Major edema! Feet, ankles and calves. My pubic pain is all day now, and I just feel sore all the time. Sinus headaches-damn allergies-, numbness in my first three fingers due to my neck issues, tired, stressed, emotional, exhausted, braxton hicks--usually at work when I'm doing too much.

Mood: stressed to say the least. emotional for sure

Looking forward to: my baby boy being here! :)

Midwife update: Liam had a strong heartbeat of 130, he is still head down, his butt was (and usually is) resting on my right side with his legs across my belly. My fundal height was 41cm, so I am still measuring about 6 weeks ahead. Liam is estimated to be 6.5-7lbs!! So I have been advised to watch my carb and refined sugar intake. My blood pressure was 110/70--pretty typical. We did my 3rd trimester lab work--still waiting for results. I have been advised to decrease the number of hours I can work as well. I will be talking to my HR person so figure out if I would still qualify for my insurance. Next appointment is next week wednesday.

So now that my crazy schedules are pretty much done, hopefully I will be able to stay up to date on my blogs.

Hope you all are doing well!!
N.

Pregnancy Week 32

This week I'm just going to jump right in.



How far: 32 Weeks

Weight gain: 30 for the pregnancy, since my last appointment

Stretch marks: of course

Maternity clothes: oh yeah! I just bought a sleep/sports nursing bra from motherhood maternity since I had store credit. here's a picture.

Sleep: Decent, I really dont wake up to pee like I expected. Sometimes I will but it will be around 5am.

Best moment this week: Definitely my midwife appointment and stroller shopping. :)

Miss anything? coffee, deli meat, a beer while grilling out!

Cravings: nothing overwhelming

Anything make you queasy or sick? No

Gender: Boy

Belly button: In

Wedding Rings: On

Movements: yep! Getting bigger and higher up in my ribcage

Symptoms: Back pain--especially during work, harder to breath, tired, exhausted, round ligament pain, a bit of acne.

Mood: Good, tired--but good

Looking forward to: My baby shower on May 5th! :) hurray!!! and setting up Liam's room.



I have been busy working on shower things. I know I shouldn't be the one doing it, but it doesn't seem like it will get done otherwise. I printed little monster clip art on paper napkin rings, gift bingo cards, and a few other things. My best friend is coming over tomorrow to help assemble things. I am also using some teal/aqua, lime green, and yellow paper lanterns of various sizes as hanging decorations. I had saved them from my bridal shower a few years ago. I bought teal/aqua dinner plates, lime green dessert plates, orange cups, yellow silverware, red napkins, and brown table cloths. I'm bringing my baby book along for Billie to fill out as I am opening gifts. I think that is about it for now. I thought about getting Liam a piggy bank of some sort, and having people who wanted to participate enter a $1 guess the birth date and time pool. Winner gets a target gift card for half of what was collected. Thought it would be a neat way to start off his piggy bank. Anyways, I guess that's all for now. I'm sure everything will turn out fantastically. It has finally started to warm up here in WI, and everyone's mood is definitely reflecting it! :)

N.

Pregnancy Weeks 30 & 31

I know I'm the biggest slacker of all time! I really do have the time to write my blog, but everyday after work, I really have no ambition to do so. It is really hard to look back and remember what happened these two weeks that would be worth sharing, so I may just ramble about the cool new things we bought/received along with a few symptoms. :) I had my 32 week appointment on Monday. Everything is perfect! We also bought our travel system with a 15% coupon from babies r us. We weren't originally going to get a travel system because I didnt want to have to buy another car seat in a few months. But, Scott's parents wanted to purchase it for us, so we eventually found one that we liked. I have mixed feelings about infant seats instead of convertible seats. I understand the convenience of being able to take the seat in and out of the car--especially without waking the baby. But I hate how so many people leave their child in them to hang out, even if they are awake! Flat heads people!!! You are going to give your child a flat head! Anyways, there is also the cost factor, why buy two when one will do? Well, eventually we went with it, I decided that just because many people keep their babies in them, doesnt mean we will, and we will eventually have to buy two seats when we have a second child (no plans yet, dont worry lol).  So we bought there Baby Trend Expedition ELX Travel System in the color Everglade. I really wanted a 3 wheeled stroller for easier maneuverability, and I love the bike tired for a smoother ride. The reviews are pretty split, but the biggest complaint is  that the front wheel wobbles when mom/dad is jogging. Let's just say, I dont jog...haha, my asthma is so terrible, I can do like a minute run before stopping. But even still, you can lock the wheel and many other people had no trouble with it then. If I ever become a serious jogger, then Ill invest in a BOB or something. Besides that, I love the color, there is also a mp3 connect in the parent tray. Not that that was a deciding factor for me, but it is kinda cool.

We also received our changing pad, cover, and liners in the mail from a family friend that cant make the shower. It was so fun to pull it out and see/feel it! Everything is starting to come together and it feels so nice! Even the carseat sitting on the kitchen floor is so cute! I just think...Dang! Our little baby will be in that soon!! Holy Crap!! haha. We also received our booster/high chair. Here's a picture.

 Its a little smaller in person that I initially thought, but it will do, and if we decide otherwise, this one can go by grandmas :) Super nice though, is there is a cover, and then a divided tray, and then a full tray underneath. It even folds up and can be taken on the go.

How far: 30 and 31 weeks

Weight gain: as of my 32 week appt on monday, only 2.5lbs gained! Wahoo! Thank God its not another 11 pounds!! That brings my total weight gain to 30 lbs.

** I also measured at 39 weeks for my fundal height, which is definitely good since last month I jumped from 26 to 36! Yikes!! So clearly that was just a big growth spurt and she felt baby, and said he felt averaged sized for his age. :) Yay!

Stretch marks: yes

Maternity Clothes: Yes, I think I mentioned in my last post the cute shirt I got, and the support belt I took back--but they would only give me store credit--which sucks! I really didnt plan on buying anything else for maternity clothes! oh well...

Sleep: I have definitely been learning and getting used to getting more broken sleep and less of it.

Best moment this week: getting some gifts in the mail and buying our travel system! Finding out Liam is not gigantic in there! Pheww!


Miss anything? coffee! and stomach sleeping

Cravings: not a whole lot, salty/snacky foods

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: boy! :)

Belly Button: In, but more shallow than ever. I doubt it will pop though.

Wedding rings: on

Movements: Yes yes yes!!

Symptoms: backaches, tired, lack of motivation, round ligament pain

Mood: good

Looking forward to: My shower!! less than two weeks away!

I hope you all are well! And again, I'm so sorry I'm such a slacker lately! I'm off to try to make some curtains for Liam's room. Enjoy your week!
N.

Pregnancy Week 29

I know I'm so far behind this week. Truth is, I feel like poo. Especially last night and today. :( Sunday was fun, Billie and I went to Appleton and she tried on wedding dresses!! She looked so beautiful! I will definitely cry at her wedding!! We also stopped at Motherhood Maternity, and I found a purple shirt for either maternity photos or my shower. Also I did find a maternity support belt to help with my SPD. Problem is, I ended up buying the wrong one, so the one I have is too small. Boo!! Here is a picture of the top I found, I have it in a deep purple color. And I found it on clearance! :)

 

 Onto week 29

How far: 29 Weeks

Weight gain: see last week's blog...

Stretch marks: yes

Maternity clothes: absolutely

Sleep: a solid chunk from 11-2, and then really light sleep until i have to get up.

Best moment this week: spending time with Billie. And Scott having a sweet moment with Liam. :) Makes me warm and fuzzy!

Miss anything: stretching without cramping legs or pulling uterus muscles

Cravings: chips/crunchy things, MELON!

Anything make you queasy/sick: nothing really

Gender: Boy

Belly Button: In

Wedding rings: on

Movements: YES! Everywhere!!

Symptoms: Backache, pubic pain, tired, lack of motivation, overwhelmed with what we need to get done yet.

Mood: good, tired

Looking forward to: my shower! Just 4 weeks away! Getting Liam's room cleaned out, and getting everything organized. I feel like I need a long weekend to do this.

I also received my birth pool and birth kit in the mail, I'm not sure I mentioned it yet, but it was so fun to open it all up and look at everything. I have also been packing my home birth box full of all sorts of things we will need for labor and delivery. :)

Pregnancy Week 27

This week has marked the end of my 2nd trimester! Hurray!! Just 12 more weeks! St. Patty's day was a blast! Liam jammed right along with us while listening to my brother-in-law's Irish rock band play. Friday his other band played locally as well, so we had fun listening to some bluegrass as well! Our last birth class went well. I'm sad they are over. I love spending time with Rachel and getting to know her and the whole birthing process. We ended with breastfeeding and newborn care. Most of which I already knew. --(other than the techniques of breastfeeding). Rachel is also the La Lache League leader in my area, so she is a fantastic resource for breastfeeding. Also, I have realized that my calendar is beginning to fill up with appointments and special dates before Liam's due date. It is becoming a bit overwhelming so I definitely need to find my daily planner and start writing out to do lists and such. Next week we will be purchasing our birth kit and birthing pool. I cant believe we are already this close! I will also start a list of "hospital bag" items, just in case. I wont pack that for awhile yet, but I just need to get my thoughts in order. Anyways, this week Scott and I went to the eye doctor. I havent been in at least 3 years. I am sick of my glasses, and my eyes reject my contacts now. I know you arent supposed to get new glasses while pregnant since your eyes can change shape and whatnot. But we have the insurance now, and we might as well take advantage of it. My eyes did change .75 in each eye. And I have a pair of trial contacts on order to see if it was just the style of my contacts or not. I can't wait to see my new frames! They should be in this week. Scott got new frames as well, although his prescription only changed .25 in each eye. He cant remember the last time he was at the eye doctor. Must be nice. :) I have made a chiropractor appointment for april 3rd. I have been having terrible back and sciatic pain as well as pubic pain. I described it to Rachel and she thought it sounded like pubic symphsis. More on that later. .Anyways, enough rambling onto week 27.

How far: 27 Weeks

Weight gain: I will update this when I get back from my midwife appointment on Wednesday

Stretch marks: more and more

Maternity Clothes: yes and yes! And I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear my flip flops instead of attempting to tie my shoes.

Sleep: I would definitely say bad, but I know its only going to get worse. I wake frequently, not usually to use the bathroom, but for some odd reason. Attempting to roll over is always a challenge, one that I know wont improve anytime soon.

Best moment this week: Feeling Liam jam out to the music we have been listening to. Birth class, eye doctor.

Miss anything: not anything new. coffee mostly this week. I think more so because I'm so tired.

Cravings: pretty much the same. Hot ham and cheese on deli roll with dijon mustard. and of course OJ.

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: Boy

Belly Button: In

Wedding rings: Off, again only for trying to get my hands back to normal. The dry winter (pseudo-spring) is terrible for the skin.

Movements: you betcha! Especially to the fiddle music!

Mood: tired, but good.

Looking forward to: my 28 week appointment on wednesday. I cant wait to find out if he is still head down.

Symptoms: back and pelvic pain, swollen feet/ankles, tired, sleep sucks, hungry all the time. Here's the low down on Pubic Symphysis.

This is where your pubic symphysis is.

 The following is an exerpt I found on what to expect.com

What symphysis pubic dysfunction is

Symphysis pubic dysfunction, or SPD, is one of those weird pregnancy conditions that sounds bizarre and well, kind of is. It means the ligaments that normally keep your pelvic bone aligned during pregnancy become too relaxed and stretchy. This, in turn, can make the pelvic joint — aka the symphysis pubis — unstable, causing some pretty strange sensations and sometimes pain.

What causes symphysis pubic dysfunction during pregnancy

The culprit behind SPD is the aptly named hormone relaxin. Its mission is to make your ligaments stretchy so your baby can ease his or her way into the world. But sometimes relaxin does its job too well, making the ligaments around your pelvic bone during pregnancy too loose too soon (way before baby is ready to come out), and that causes instability (and unfortunately, pain) in the pelvic joint.

What you need to know about symphysis pubic dysfunction

While your legs won't actually fall off (promise), it may seem like they're going in opposite directions from each other (and the rest of your body). Walking, standing, or rolling over in bed can really hurt as one side of the joint shifts more than the other, throwing everything off-kilter. In very rare cases, the joint may gape apart noticeably, a condition called diastasis symphysis pubis, which can cause serious pain in your pelvis, groin, hips, and buttocks (truly, a pain in the rear!).

What to do about symphysis pubic dysfunction during pregnancy

Try stabilizing those floppy ligaments by wearing a pelvic support belt (readily available online), which "corsets" the pelvic bones back into place during pregnancy. And be religious about doing your Kegels and pelvic tilts, both of which strengthen the muscles of the pelvis. More tactics to try: Sit down to get dressed, and avoid heavy lifting and pushing (which you should be doing anyway).



I hope this helps anyone else who is experiencing this kind of pain. It definitely sucks, and I'm glad I made an appointment with the chiro. Scott also found some interesting information online about swelling feet can be caused more severely by your legs not being the same length. Which is true in my case. My left leg is slightly longer--you cant notice it at all, but sometimes if I'm walking a lot, I will notice some pain.) Anyways, this all ties together. If I truly have SPD, then it is messing with my alignment, and so my normal stance is all out of whack, which can cause more swelling. Hopefully going to the chiro will straighten out all of these issues, or at least improve them!

Thats all for now, enjoy your week!
Nikky

Pregnancy Week 26

So much for being on time...sigh. Oh well...


How far along? 26 Weeks

Weight gain: unsure, my 28 week appointment is coming up soon

Stretch marks: Of course :)

Maternity clothes: I finally switched to my maternity work shirt, and everyone noticed! haha. here's a picture of it. It's the one in the upper left hand corner. I tired to link the actual product, but apparently they arent carrying it anymore. Boo! I'd have to say, though, that it is nice not to have to tuck my shirt in anymore. lol

Sleep: It finally hit, fitful sleep! Waking up 4-6 times a night. It is also getting more difficult to turn from side to side. Although I find it most comfortable on my side now :)

Best moment: Birth class was a blast! More on that later. Click here for the post. Also, my family coming over for pizza and ice cream cake for my birthday! What fun! I love entertaining, and it is so nice when we are all together. So natural.

Miss anything? Alcohol and coffee. Gosh, I must sound like a drunk and caffeine addict. I really didnt drink all that often before since I was gluten free, and many alcohols are grain distilled. But you always miss what you cant have. Especially with St. Patrick's Day!!

Cravings: hot ham and cheese on a deli roll with dijon mustard! and cuties (clematine oranges)

Anything make you queasy or sick? nothing out of the ordinary.

Gender: Boy

Belly button: In

Wedding rings: Off this week--mostly to help moisturize my hands--this Wisconsin weather has been brutal!!  My rings were on last week.

Movements: oh yes!!!

Symptoms: the waddle has set in!! Wahhh! I am definitely getting worn out easier, I am hungry all the time, and the start of some serious back pain. Boooo! 3rd trimester--here I come!

Mood: Pretty good, being that I get worn out so easily, I can get cranky too.

Looking forward to: our last childbirth class--newborn care and breastfeeding! :) Fun!!!

Pregnancy Week 25

Hey look! I'm on time this week! Wahoo!
This week felt like it took forever!!! I'm not entirely sure why, but the days just dragged on and on! Sunday I woke up with very swollen feet and ankles which sent me into panic mode. Checking and rechecking my hands and face to see if anything else was swelling. Billie came over and hung out a bit, then we went shopping (I wore flip flops for the first time this year! Hurray!!) She also painted my toes, since it's getting increasingly difficult for me to reach them and do a decent job of painting. Monday I was still swollen, and I emailed my midwives just so they knew. They gave me some good advice, and the next day the swelling was gone. I basically ended up drinking more water, eating more sea salt and more protein. We had birth class on Thursday, which was also my birthday (what a fun bday huh? work and birth class haha). Oh well. Afterwards, we stopped to get subway, and then to culvers for icecream. We ended the night watching Zombieland and I pretty much passed out after that. Friday I had off, and had to clean the house since my family was coming over on Sunday for pizza and ice cream. :) Saturday I cleaned a bit more and cleared off my bookshelf that I use as my night stand. I moved my books, and placed canvas bins on the shelves to hold Liam's things since his pack n' play with bassinet will be next to it soon. He will be sleeping in there for the first few weeks/months.

How far: 25 weeks

Weight gain: +1 this week, +1 for this pregnancy

Stretch marks: Yes

Maternity clothes: Yes, mostly just pants, shirts, and a few tanks

Sleep: Definitely sleeping on my side most often now. Still pretty consistent sleep, waking once to pee.

Best moment: Organizing my bookshelf/nightstand with Liam's things. I love getting organized!!

Miss anything? Coffee!! or at least coffee without the guilt! I used to have one travelsize mug everyday, and now, even though I switched to half-caf, and drink less on an occasional basis, I still feel guilty!

Cravings: nothing too extreme, OJ, blueberry anything, salty snacks, hot ham and cheese

Anything make you queasy or sick? Friday night we went out for chinese with some friends and the smell of the fish made me really queasy! This was pretty much the first "normal" item that made me this way. Normally the smell of stinky b.o. makes everyone sick...but this fish was sooo terrible to me, we were luckily about to leave and I bolted out of there.

Gender: Boy

Belly Button: In

Movements: All the time, on a regular-ish schedule.

Symptoms: Swelling, very hungry, sleepy in midafternoon, getting slightly more snappy/moody, out of breath.

Mood: usually pretty good, a little touch and go at times.

Looking forward to: the next childbirth class, we are doing a "labor rehearsal"! Sounds fun! Also I'm looking forward to St. Patty's day--even if I cant drink, my brother-in-law's irish rock band are playing locally and I'm stoked!!

--I am still planning on working on my notes from my childbirth class week 5 and 6. And also my baby shower planning ideas.

Pregnancy Week 24

This week, work has been insane, and I've been pretty exhausted at home. Monday was my 24 week appointment with my midwife. I brought my parents along so they could ask all the questions they wanted. Since my Mom watched The Business of Being Born and Pregnant in America, she has definitely flipped a new leaf. She is all for me birthing at home, and understands many of my reasons behind wanting to. Yes, there will always be concerns and the possibility of complications, but with a healthy pregnancy, there is no reason to go to the hospital for birth. Anyways, my appointment went great! My blood pressure was perfect, baby was head down already, his heartrate was a strong 130. I was also measuring at 26 weeks, which my midwife told me was normal for short waisted women. I also gained more weight, which I feel is definitely true. My belly sure has popped over the last few weeks, and even more so since my appointment. Also I got my new prenatals in the mail, and started using them this week, I love them! They have an interesting smell. Not like a supplement, but like food! Since that is what they are! They almost remind me of the protein bars I've eaten in the past. The best part is you can take them on an empty stomach, and I can pronounce every ingredient--most of which are actual veggies or fruits!

How far along: 24 weeks

Weight gain: +4 for the week, +9 for the pregnancy

Stretch marks: Yes, mostly on my upper belly

Maternity clothes: yes! My new jeans are amazing!! I feel so much more comfortable in them!!

Sleep: good! I can definitely feel the relief when I turn on my left side. I think I am finally getting to the point where I am getting uncomfortable sleeping on my back.

Best moment: my parents hearing Liam's heartbeat :) <3

Miss anything? Coffee still.

Cravings: orange juice again, tangy fruit things--blueberry, raspberry, etc

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not really

Gender: Boy

Belly button: In, I really think it will stay this way.

Movements: All the time! He's definitely getting bigger in there, his movements are getting stronger and more pronounced.

Symptoms: back ache, sleepy, out of breath

Mood: pretty good, moments of crabbies :)

Looking forward to: My birthday! Thursday is my 27th birthday, we aren't doing anything special on Thursday since I have to work all day and then we have birth class, but Sunday my parents and brother are coming over for a pizza party :)

We were predicted to getting more snow this week, but luckily most of it missed us. I am SO ready for spring!! Every morning the birds are chirping and teasing me that spring is on its way--and then is snows... Daylight savings is starting next week. Another thing to be excited for! We are also beginning to plan my baby shower, which I am so excited for! We are doing a little monsters theme (of course). I have brightly colored paper lanterns of different sizes that I used for my wedding shower and I plan on using the teal, yellow, and lime green ones again. Also I will probably stick with solid color table cloths and plasticware, and decorate with fun monster cut outs as well as a monster cake made by my sister in law. Blog to follow...

Also don't forget that I am updating my Childbirth Class blog every week to add the new week's information. Week 5 will probably take me a bit to complete, we covered a lot of information. Stay tuned :)
N.

Pregnancy Week 23

This week went by so fast! It's no wonder why it is Tuesday and I'm finally getting around to writing last weeks blog. Sunday we went to Scott's sister's house for lunch. They live about an hour and a half away. We took a nice scenic route back (which tacked on an additional 30 mins). Oh well, it was nice. Anyways, I ordered a few things this week. That sweater from Target that I blogged about last week, two pairs of pants from Motherhood maternity. And my new prenatal vitamins from amazon. Today I received my pants, and I'm thrilled to say they are fabulous!

and

Here are the vitamins I ordered. I cant wait for them to get here!




 Anyways, On to this week's blog. :)

How far along? 23 weeks

Weight gain: +2 for the week, +5 for the pregnancy

Stretch marks: yes! They are definitely getting longer.

Maternity clothes: yes! new items on the way and beginning to fit into some that I already have.

Sleep: definitely have to get up a time or two more the pee throughout the night, and I am finally finding it harder to sleep on my back. I was concerned about this since I try to sleep on my side, but always end up on my back. My doula said not to worry too much about it. I will get uncomfortable when necessary. Other than that, sleep has been pretty good. My dreams are tapering off again, but I'm sure that will change soon.

Best moment: Realizing that Liam moves around like crazy when he hears his daddy talking. :) So cute!

Miss anything? Coffee!

Cravings: Food in general...haha, cucumbers too.

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not really

Gender: Boy

Movements: All the time, definitely in a pattern throughout the day, and especially when his daddy is around

Symptoms: tired, out of breath, sore lower back, peeing a lot, fetal movements :)

Mood: Fantastic!

Looking forward to: bringing my parents to see my midwife next week. Spring!!!

N.

Pregnancy Week 21

Wahoo I'm finally doing this on time!! Today is Saturday, and my weeks turn over on Sundays! w00t!! 

Today I had a blast with my bestie Billie! We went to Hobby Lobby and the local bookstore to check out some wedding stuffs for her upcoming wedding!! (I get to be her matron of honor too! yay!) We also stopped for some groceries before heading to her house for lunch and gettin girlie with wedding magazines and shellac nails! I chose a bright florescent pink with a coral shimmer topcoat. Super cute! Anyways, Billie got to feel Liam move around and that was awesome!! :) It's so fun to be able to share in the joy of him flip floppin! 

How far: 21 Weeks

Total weight gain: +3 pounds

Stretch marks: nothing new since last week

Maternity clothes: yes! Usually when I get home I immediately switch to my comfy pj pants.

Sleep: Changing once again. The last few nights I've noticed I have been sleeping deeper--which is so unbelievably wonderful! But I also wake up around 5:30 every morning to pee, of course. I am able to sleep lightly from then until I need to get up for work. Also this morning was the first bad dream I had so far. It was really silly actually, but I was terrified and woke up (@5:30) screaming for Scott.

Best moment this week: We had a crappy snowstorm on Thursday, which is when we have our childbirth class. Well Rachel (the instructor) is also our doula, and she had to cancel the class, not so much because of the snow, but apparently the snowstorm was making some of her mommies go into labor! So anyways, Thursdays is the only evening Scott has off, so we made dinner and settled down to watch a movie and had a nice evening just hang out! Also, I visited my old boss on Monday. She's due with her first baby in just a few weeks. It was so nice to catch up with her! On the way home, I visited with my Mom and Stepdad and they both got to feel Liam moving around :)

Miss anything: coffee!

Cravings: blueberry anything

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: Boy

Movements: more and more! bigger and bigger too!

Symptoms: backache, stuffy nose, acid burps (yuck!), out of breath, tired

Mood: Great!!

Looking forward to: my next childbirth class, my parents coming to my next appointment in 2 weeks, getting more organized for baby, spring, and St. Patty's day!

I ordered the cutest monster sleeper from The Children's Place, along with some clearance items. I saw this sleeper on a mommy vlogger on YouTube. Her name is Plus1Please. Check her out! Her son is adorable!!

Until next week...N.

Pregnancy Week 20

This week I had a midwife appointment. I had to go all by my lonesome, which was no big deal, but we had terrible fog! I am not familiar with the city my midwives are located in, which normally isn't an issue. However, the fog was so thick that I couldn't see a stoplight until I was right up to it!! I was freaking out trying to find the correct exits, turns and such. Finally I made it, and although my pulse was at a 90 (I'm usually between 60-70), everything was perfect. Liam's heartrate was 150bpm. Even though mommy was stressed, baby was just fine :)

How far: 20 weeks

Total weight gain: +3 pounds

Stretch marks: definitely an itchy belly, and just a little red around the edges of the old stretch marks.

Maternity clothes: absolutely! I also found this adorable shirt at Oldnavy.com

Here's the link.

Sleep: about the same as last week. I have noticed my sleep is definitely much lighter. I used to be a very deep sleeper, but not so much anymore.

Best moment this week: We love our childbirth classes, and I love laying in bed and feeling Liam move all round. His movements are definitely getting stronger!

Miss anything: Coffee mostly, and a good night's sleep--which I know will only get worse...

Cravings: nachos and taco salads

Anything make you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: Boy

Movements: you betcha!!

Symptoms: slight headaches, exhausted by 9/10pm, some back pain, out of breath, stuffy nose

Mood: Great!

Looking forward to: more childbirth classes, and my parents coming with to my next midwife appointment.

I hope you all are doing well! We keep getting more and more snow here, it seems every other day we are getting a few inches...I am definitely ready for spring!! I want to get my garden started since by the time I will actually get to, Ill be like 37 weeks! We definitely have to get a fantastic garden this year so we can make some homemade baby food!

Pregnancy Weeks 18 & 19

This week marked a very special one. I have been feeling Liam move like crazy!!! :) It also marks the end of the first half of my pregnancy! YAY!! (side note, I'm not sure what happened to my week 18 post, so I'll just combine it with week 19...)

How far along: 19 Weeks

Total weight gain: zero

Stretch marks: old ones are beginning to get red at the ends

Maternity Clothes: yes yes yes!

Sleep: just plain strange!! weird and vivid dreams that make no sense, beginning to get more comfortable on my sides--especially with my sweet pea pillow.

Best moment this week: definitely feeling Liam move!! Also we started our childbirth classes!

Miss anything: lunch meat

Food cravings: pizza and sour candies

Anything make you queasy or sick? Nope

Gender: Boy!! :)

Movements: Absolutely!!!

Wedding rings: On

Symptoms: some headaches, small backaches, out of breath much of the time!

Mood: Great!

Looking forward to: more childbirth classes and my next midwife appointment on tuesday. :)

I will be doing a separate blog about my childbirth classes so stay tuned~! :)

N.

Pregnancy Week 17

I brought out my sewing machine this week and whipped up a monster blanket for Liam. It turned out so cute I love it! I also began the monsters for the felt mobile I am making him as well. Yay for craft time!!

How far along: 17 weeks

Total weight gain: zero!

Maternity clothes: I feel like I "popped" a bit over the last week. I cant button my work shirt like I could last week. :)

Sleep: sleep has been progressively getting worse. I dream all the time now, and its super weird and irrelevant. I toss and turn and its beginning to get uncomfortable to move from one side to another.

Best moment this week: on Wednesday and again on Friday I felt Liam move!!! :)

Miss anything? Cocktails. We had family over and we usually make old fashions for everyone...booo....

Food cravings: nothing that really stands out. I still love pickles. :)

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not really

Gender: BOY! :)

Movement: Just two separate occasions. Cant wait for more :)

Wedding rings: On

Symptoms: headaches a lot this week! sleep is crappy, backache here and there, but nothing to really complain about...yet...

Mood: great!

Looking forward to: My childbirth classes starting week 18! :)

Take care and bundle up!!

Nikky

Pregnancy Week 16

I can't believe I'm already at week 17! I remember being 5 weeks pregnant and wishing I was this far along so I could relax and enjoy pregnancy! Wahoo!!! So obviously you have seen that we had our ultrasound and 16 week midwife appointment this past week. We are so excited to be having a baby boy!! I bought some fabric a few weeks ago that I absolutely fell in love with at Joanne Fabrics. It is brown flannel with fun bright smiley monsters. I also bought some super soft brown minky type of fabric to back a blanket. Teal satin binding too! So I plan on working on that this week. I would have still made it if we were having a girl, but I'm glad it turned out this way. :) Anyways, onto week 16...

How far: 16 weeks

Total weight gain: ZERO! still at my pp weight during my midwife appointment :)

Maternity clothes: I cant stand anything tight on my belly, so its fleece pants, yoga pants, pjs, and my maternity jeans/work pants. Still rockin the larger t shirts since my maternity shirts are too big yet.


Sleep: Hasn't been great this week. Just a lot of tossing and turning.

Best Moment: obviously seeing my little boy at our ultrasound!!! He is just perfect!!

Miss anything: coffee, headache medicine.

Food cravings: still mustard, pickles and oj

Anything make you queasy or sick: nothing really

Gender: BOY!! :) 

Movement: still waiting...its hard to tell, but until I'm positive I wont post it.

Wedding ring: On

Symptoms: headaches!! They are pretty mild, but really annoying! Sinus pain, tired, peeing a lot more during the day. I cry easily, and over silly things.

Mood: Good, sometimes emotional

Looking forward to: sewing my sweet little boy his blanket! 

I also finally ordered my prefold cloth diapers. I have them prepped and stored away with the rest of his covers and fun baby stuff! I did buy the Moby wrap as well as a sweet maternity coat at Target! 

Oh! I also found a very local place that does placenta encapsulation! I am super thrilled! She is very reasonably priced and her father is actually my next door neighbor! Small world...anyways, she posted the process on her website and I realized how easy it is to do it yourself. I contemplated doing it ourselves, but after thinking about it, I realized that I probably wont want to mess around with it after the birth. I know I will want to enjoy Liam and our family time. :) 

Hope you all stay warm! 

Nikky

Pregnancy Weeks 13, 14, 15

I'm so sorry its been so long, but the good news is, we finally moved!!! What a crazy few weeks it has been! We moved about two weeks ago, and I have been busy cleaning, organizing, baking christmas cookies, decorating, etc. We still arent finished. (the darn holidays really messed up our organizing schedules...heehee) anyways, Im not sure I will be able to remember all of the details from the last few weeks, but I will surely try.

How far *currently: 15 weeks 6 days

Total weight gain: I havent weighed myself recently but Im sure will all the holiday goodies I gain a few.

Maternity clothes: work pants, and stretchy pj or yoga pants

Sleep: getting restless, I did receive a maternity pillow from my in-laws. It's by Sealy. It's called the Sweet Pea 2 in 1 maternity/nursing pillow. I didnt want the snoogle because it has the head pillow part, and I have many neck issues so this one works pretty well so far! its from Amazon




 Best moment the past few weeks: moving, the holidays with friends and family.

Miss anything? cocktails, coffee

Food cravings: Yellow or honey mustard, and pickles--not together.

Anything make you queasy or sick? not really, just stinky people...

Gender prediction: BOY! We'll find out on wednesday!

Movement: Nothing yet

Wedding ring: On

Symptoms: headaches here and there, I've been fighting a sinus cold, so that could be the reason for the headaches. Other than that, just super duper emotional. My mom bought me a baby bottle started kit, and I cried my eyes out...it just seemed so surreal that I will be using them on my baby!! I found them on amazon.





Mood: Emotional, but good.

Looking forward to: My ultrasound on wednesday jan 2!! I cant wait to find out if my predictions are right!!! I also have a midwife appointment that day as well.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful New year!!!!
Much love,
Nikky