Baby Taylor's Shower

I had my second shower on Sunday, 1/27/08. It was a wonderful time. The nicest group of ladies put together an amazing party for us...so sweet to do that!! The food was delicious, the company was good (got lots of good parenting advice...hope I can remember some of it, hehehe), and we got so many lovely things for the baby. It's nice to know that so many people are looking forward to the arrival of our little one :-)

Here's a photo of the entire gang from the shower. I'll remember all of this forever!!

Doctor Appt Update - 1/28/08

Once again an uneventful doctor appt (I know it's a good thing, but when is the action going to start?). :-)

I have been experiencing some swelling in my ankles, feet and hands (and probably my face, but that may just be from weight gain and not swelling, but who knows), so I talked to the doc about it and of course the answer was, "It's normal...your blood pressure is normal and there's no protein in your urine, so the swelling you're experiencing is not concerning." She told me to elevate my feet at night and it might help. I have hardly any shoes that I can still wear to work...so for the next two weeks it's probably going to be my running shoes!! I am feeling less and less attractive as the days go on (and more uncomfortable). But I guess it's all part of being preggers.

They checked my iron and the level is still great. Sweet. I have done nothing to affect this but I will take the good news!

Her heartrate was good.

Anyway, baby is still head down (which is good) and apparently the ole cervix is still "shut" -- sorry if that's TMI, but that's pretty much going to be part of the update from here on out. So no signs of labor, but that's OK because we still have a few weeks. :-)

Next appt is next Thursday.

Week 36 - 1/27/08

How your baby's growing: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

How your life's changing: Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

One month to go...

Nothing too exciting to report except that today, 1/24/08, is exactly 1 month until our due date!! Hooray :-)

Not really sleeping too well these days (it's getting worse), feeling a little overwhelmed with what remains to be done before the baby arrives, tired of being huge and uncomfortable, getting more anxious about the whole labor and delivery thing...but also starting to get really excited!! I'm trying to remember to enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy since it's such a unique time.

And no, we still don't have a name picked out. We have narrowed it down to a few but who knows...we may have to wait to see her until we finalize. Though that prospect scares me a little because we have a hard enough time picking a place to go to dinner when we're both starving, that I imagine we might have a hard time picking her name when we're confronted with the finality of the decision at the hospital. Hopefully it will hit us before that.

Week 35 - 1/20/08

How your baby's growing: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

How your life's changing: Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.

Doctor Appointment Update, etc.

Had my 34 week doctor appt this morning. Once again it was pretty routine and quick.

Baby's heart rate was in the high 140s today (and even though I've heard it about a million times, I still love hearing it at each visit). Last time she was in the low 130s. Nurse said it's perfectly normal for her to fluctuate just like we do, depending on how active she is. As long as we're above 120 and below 160 we're good.

In all so far, I've gained 31 lbs. I gained 1 lb between my last two appts (2 weeks), so I think the weight gain is starting to taper off (and that also means that most of it, if not all of it, is going to the baby at this point...which is good. She needs it more than I do, that's for sure!!). If I were a betting woman I'd say my total weight gain will be right around 35 lbs.

I am measuring exactly right for 34 weeks (for any of you who wonder what that means, basically the doctor measures your gut from top to bottom with a tape measure each visit to make sure you're growing appropriately, which in turn translates to the baby growing appropriately. I think at some point the centimeters = the number of weeks you are but I could be wrong about that). In the past week or so I have had several people tell me I'm "huge" and say things like "Bless your heart...you have 6 weeks to go? You're already so big." Hmm. I do feel like there's no way I can possibly get any bigger, but I'm sure this baby will prove me wrong!!

Matt and I went to the river yesterday and he ran while I went for a walk. It felt good to get out in the sunshine and get moving. I did get a lot of funny looks and people smiling at me. I don't think people mean anything by it, but anytime a stranger sees me, 9 times out of 10 their eyes go straight to my gut. I guess it is the biggest thing around (so big it blocks the sun like an eclipse as I walk by) so it's hard to avert your eyes. And, people love to talk to pregnant ladies. It's been a fun experience seeing how people react.

Anyway, back to the appointment. I asked the doctor how the baby is positioned and right now she is head down. The doctor said, "Keep your fingers crossed that she stays that way. We'll check her again at your next appointment and if she's head down at that time she'll most likely stay that way, but right now there's always a chance she could flip."

She still moves a lot but the movements are somewhat different than they used to be. I get lots of "rolls" and "jabs" rather than flutters. I guess she's too big to flutter. She's been all up in my ribs lately...I guess that's her feet!! She's trying to find room anywhere she can! But she makes mommy very uncomfortable sometimes. It's OK, though. Only a short time left to be uncomfortable.

Which also means there's only a short time left to take care of a bunch of things before she gets here. This week is pretty productive as far as that goes, though, so I feel good about where we are. We're meeting with our prospective pediatrician this week, and also going on a hospital tour of the Northside Women's Center, which is where I'll deliver. Matt's going to start working on the nursery this weekend (and hopefully our furniture will come soon). I'll post pictures when it's complete. I have another shower in a couple of weeks, which is exciting!! After that we'll hit Babies R Us and stock up on whatever essentials we'll need for her first few weeks at least.

Things are starting to come together! I probably have about 4 weeks left in the office before I start working from home -- just waiting to go into labor. I told my boss that probably the last place on Earth that I want to go into labor is the office (and I'm sure he feels the same way) so working from home is a good option for those last couple of weeks. Thank goodness for laptops.

Week 34 - 11/13/08

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

How your life's changing:By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

Baby's First Party

Today was my first baby shower, and it was great!! I had so much fun, and I think we had a terrific group of girls there. Very big thanks to all the hostesses: Amanda, Elizabeth, Judy, Kim and Leslie. I know everyone worked really hard and you could tell...everything was just perfect and I will remember it forever. I feel blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who are all so excited about our little baby.

We got so many nice things, and they are already in the Baby's room just waiting for her arrival. It's still hard to imagine that our baby will be wearing all of these little clothes and tiny diapers in just a little over a month!

Here's a picture of me from the shower. It's amazing how big I've gotten...I keep wondering how much bigger I can possibly get...but only time will tell!! Somehow I just keep growing.

It was a beautiful day and I'll remember it with happiness.

Being a Mom...

One of my best friends, Elizabeth, sent this email to me. Someone wrote a really sweet message on what it's like to be a mom...and I thought I'd share. It's not something I can relate to right now...but very soon I will!! And in my hormonal emotional state, this gets the tears flowing every time I read it!! But good tears!! :-)

Being A Mom

We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."

"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking.

"Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.

"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.

I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a souffle or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for child-care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that rest-room.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.

That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.

I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who carefully bathes the baby or who never hesitates to feed, change or play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.

"You'll never regret it," I finally say.

Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.

Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms.

May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart.

Week 33 - 1/6/08

How your baby's growing: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

How your life's changing: As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

Doc Appt Update

Had a doctor appt this morning (why I scheduled it for 7:40 the morning after the Sugar Bowl is beyond me...I am quite sleepy today!). Once again, uneventful. I have gained a bunch of weight (comes with the territory of being pregnant over the holidays, I guess) which seems alarming to me (because either the baby is getting huge or I am...neither is a good scenario in my opinion) but the doctor still says I'm on track and she's happy with my progress. She says I will probably gain 4 - 6 more lbs (I guess in the last month the weight gain tapers off or stops).

Next two appts will be at two-week intervals (she feels comfortable leaving them at that for now since everything is normal and fine)...then I start going weekly. She greeted me this morning by saying, "time is flying...you're having a baby real soon!" This is utterly scary and amazing at the same time. I am really getting excited. Baby's heartbeat was in the 130s, within the normal range (it has dropped from the 150s, but the nurse told me this is normal as the baby gets bigger. She said at this stage their hearts start functioning like ours...slower in down time and faster when they're active. Our girl was pretty chilled out this morning...she seems to get real busy after lunch and at night...wonder if that's foreshadowing to her life outside the womb? If so, she gets that from her dad...not a morning person at all).

On an unrelated note, I indulged in my prenatal massage yesterday (remember, the gift certificate that Matt gave me that I mentioned in a previous post) and it was AWESOME!! So nice to have a little pampering...and the therapist knew all the right pillow positions to make me completely comfortable. Wish I could duplicate those at home (I attempted to arrange my pillows in bed last night the way she had them and I failed)!

We're in the home stretch...