33 weeks

I have had this nagging feeling all day that I was suppose to be doing something relatively important today, and I can't seem to remember what it is... pregnancy brain has returned!  So I spent the morning sewing more baby stuff for my friends who are also expecting, and now here I sit writing my weekly post (a couple of days earlier than usual I might add!)  This weekend was mostly spent working on more house projects, although yesterday I spent the morning yard sale-ing which I haven't really been doing much of for the last few months.  I scored a few household items but also picked up some great baby things as well.  I am most excited about the whale bathtub I found yesterday at the consignment store.  It was only $8 and is normally $22 new so I feel like I scored a pretty good deal.  I feel a little relieved every time I can cross something off the "baby shopping list".  One step closer to being ready!

33 weeks + 4 days

At 33 weeks, baby B is about the size of a pineapple (wait didn't that happen a couple of weeks ago?  I guess he is a bigger pineapple now!) weighing in at around 4 pounds and measures about 17 inches from head to toe.  He is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal.  These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.  He is keeping his eyes open while awake and also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.

While I was researching the information above, I came across a website about babies born prematurely, with pictures that coordinate to the weeks gestation they were at birth.  I couldn't help but look through the 33 weekers, and while they are very small and attached to many tubes and monitors, they still look miniature versions of normal newborns.  It's hard to imagine that our little guy looks like these babies at this point.  So thankful that we have made it even this far and that he seems to be doing so well.  His strong kicks these days are enough to shake my whole body and make my belly dance in the cutest way...

33 weeks + 4 days

I jinxed myself last week when I said sleeping was going well and my back pain had resolved.  A day after I wrote that post, I had a three night run of insomnia and my sciatica came back!  Fortunately last night I somehow slept nearly nine solid hours and my back is again on the mend.  I know the difficulty sleeping is pregnancy related, but I truly believe the back pain is just my injury flaring up like is has been doing on and off for the past two years.  I expect these things to come and go now as I go through the last couple months of pregnancy.  One day at a time, and today I feel pretty great so there you have it  :)

This week we will be headed to D.C. to visit Erik's family for Thanksgiving.  This will be our very last trip until baby B decides to make his appearance.  We will be staying close to home after this knowing that in just a few short weeks it could be "any day now".  However, we learned on the first night of our birthing class that the old school thought of "40 weeks gestation" is no longer thought to be the case, in an average spontaneous (non-induced) pregnancy, most babies arrive at 41 weeks and one day.  That knowledge coupled with the fact that first babies often come later than earlier, has me planning on being pregnant for at least an extra 8-10 days past the due date.  I am really hoping to avoid any sort of induction or labor augmentation, so I will seriously go to 42 weeks (to the minute!) before I allow for any medical intervention.  Let's hope it doesn't come to that... 

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and spend some fun time with your families.  And for my shameless veganism plug - do yourself (and the turkeys) a favor and try a Field Roast this year.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

2nd trimester essentials

As a follow-up to my 1st trimester essentials post, I figured I would share (and document for my own future reference) some things I found helpful as I navigated the second trimester of pregnancy.

 

Earth Mama Angle Baby: Natural Stretch Oil & Body Butter

 
Starting at week 10, I have applied this oil to my belly religiously every single night before bed.  I absolutely love the smell and it really does a great job of moisturizing without being too oily.  I liked it so much I decided to try the body butter, and while I wouldn't say it's anything close to the viscosity of other body butters I have tried (it's more of a lotion) I still really like it.  I use this in the morning and it has been especially helpful for the itchy skin that started mid-way though the 2nd trimester.  I choose these products because they are completely natural, certified zero toxin, vegan and cruelty free.  So far they have worked against stretch marks as I don't have a single one, but I am getting to the point where my skin is really starting to stretch so we will see what happens at we get closer to the end!  I will report back.

 

Belly Band

obviously not me...

I picked up my belly band gently used at a yard sale for something close to $1.  It was money well spent I tell ya!  This thing worked great as I started to outgrow my pre-pregnancy clothes but was not quite ready for maternity wear.  I thought for sure it would be hard to keep in place or that my pants would eventually start to slide down being unbuttoned, but I found that not to be the case at all.  It gave me an extra few weeks out of all my jeans and shorts, but eventually I outgrew the band and was ready for...

Maternity Clothes

Silly thing to add to this list?  Maybe so.  But I am here to tell you that it's not hard to put together a decent maternity wardrobe for very little cost, if you know where to look.  Baby/maternity consignment stores, thrift stores, yard sales, and even the sale racks at Target & Old Navy have been my primary shopping locations for my "new" wardrobe.  I couldn't see spending a fortune on new clothes I would only wear for a few months, quite honestly I hate paying full price for non-maternity clothes that I plan to wear for a long time!  For work, I picked up some plain black maternity shirts and these awesome scrub pants.  Highly recommended if you wear scrubs to work.  They are so comfortable you just might want to wear them at home too... 

Favorite Water Bottle

I admit it, I am a terrible water drinker.  I almost never get thirsty and so it's very easy for me to forget to drink.  Carrying a water bottle with me wherever I go has helped me be better at getting in my daily fluid requirements.  I happen to love this water bottle by Lifefactory.  I know you have seen them around.  It's made of glass so it's BPA free, and you don't have any weird plastic water bottle taste with this.  Plus it's cute with the silicone sleeve and pretty much screams "drink me!"

DHA Supplement

So, technically I didn't start taking this until the very beginning of the 3rd trimester.  But I wish I would have started it earlier, so I am putting it on this list.  Around the beginning of the 3rd trimester is when the baby's brain really starts to go crazy making it's neurological connections and all that, and DHA is important for that brain development.  Since we follow a plant-based diet and don't consume any fish products, there is not much opportunity for us to eat foods that naturally contain DHA.  Fish and fish oil contains DHA because they have a diet high in algae, which is very high in DHA.  (As a side note, cows milk contains so much calcium because they eat leafy greens all day long, which are a great source of calcium.  You can cut out the "middle man", and save an animal, by going straight to the source - leafy greens for your calcium and algae for your DHA!)  After a lot of research, I decided upon this supplement which is made from algae, completely vegan, and carrageenan free.  In case you haven't heard, carrageenan is a food additive that is on the list of potential carcinogens.  A lot (and let me tell you A LOT) of pills and products contain this additive.  Until more is known about it, we have decided to avoid food that contain it.  As far as this DHA supplement, it is in liquid form so it has a bit of a "fishy" taste if you take it plain.  Funny enough though, I learned it's actually fish that smell like algae, not the other way around.  Mixed in a little OJ, the "algae" taste is masked and it goes down quite easily. 


So those are the things I found to be most helpful as I went through the 2nd trimester.  There are a few things I have started to use recently as I started the 3rd trimester, so plan to see one last "pregnancy essentials" post, hopefully before our little guy arrives! 

32 weeks

Sometime recently I started looking at a new week of pregnancy as something of a countdown, instead of focusing on counting up. It was exciting to reach 20 weeks - halfway there, and 30 weeks brought a 90% chance of survival if he were to come so early. All milestones I was excited to get to, given the high anxiety I felt at the beginning of the pregnancy. But this week isn't 32 weeks to me, it sounds a lot more like "8-10 weeks to go!" Not because I am not enjoying the pregnancy, but rather because I really very much am. In fact, I have for quite some time already been looking forward to baby #2, and feel a little sadness when I think about not being pregnant anymore.  I have come to realize lately that these are the final weeks that Erik and I have as just the two of us. Last weekend during our weekly Whole Foods trip, I commented that we only have about eight or so more shopping trips as a family of two, and soon with us we will be toting a little B. I have been focusing on really enjoying these times together, just the two of us, even if we are just doing something simple like buying groceries. I know that soon we will look back on these days, probably with some difficulty remembering what they were really like, and likely reminiscing about simpler times when a simple trip didn't involve a car seat, diaper bag, and a stroller. All that being said, my recent switch to a countdown is also because I am getting super excited to meet our baby. I spend a lot of time wondering what he will be like, who he will look like, and how life will be when he is finally here.  

32 weeks + 4 days

At 32 weeks, baby B is the size of a large Jicama, measuring in around 16.5" long and weighing about 3.5 pounds.  He now has toenails, fingernails, and hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz).  His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.
 

32 weeks + 4 days

 
At our midwife appointment last Friday we learned that our little guy is hanging-out head down. Sweet! And she predicted that he will stay that way from this point forward.  I had figured he was positioned as such, because recently all the kicking I have felt has been at the top of my belly, between my naval and ribs.  I asked her about the "tickling" sensations down low in my belly and she said I was feeling his little hands and arms wiggling around.  I can't stop thinking about how cute that is!  When she measured my uterus I measured exactly at 32 weeks, so his growth is right on track.  I only gained a little over a pound since my last visit over two weeks ago, bringing my total gain to right around 16 lbs.  We listened to the heartbeat as usual, and she said he was behaving perfectly, with an increase in rate during activity, and then slowing a bit at rest. 
 
I will knock on wood as I type this, because I have been feeling absolutely great in recent days.  So normal that sometimes the only reminders that I am pregnant are when I stand up from a squatting position (my legs feel a little weak with this extra weight), or during mealtimes when I try and eat a "normal" sized meal - I get full so fast.  My back has been almost entirely pain-free, and I have even become accustomed to the whole sleeping routine where I wake up every time I roll over as I fall back asleep instantly most of the time.  I am continuing to exercise daily with walking and floor stretches/exercises.  I really believe all the squatting and "cat/cow" exercises I have been doing as recommended by our birthing instructor is what has caused little B to turn head down.  Maybe he would have by now anyway, but I like to think they played a part.
 
This is the last time I am going to mention that "baby project" I have been writing about for weeks now, until I am actually able to share what it is.  It has progressed to the point of being assembled and is now sitting on our (covered) back deck.  I will give you a hint - this project will be living in our bedroom eventually, and since we are in the process of rearranging our sleeping situation we are unable to install it.  I can't wait to share it!  Erik and I designed and built the whole thing from scratch so it's a project that is quite special to both of us. 

We are looking forward to one last getaway next week, spending a few days with Erik's family up in D.C. for Thanksgiving.  I will be 34 weeks with only 6 to go until the DD.  Let the countdown continue!

31 weeks

Another week, another weekend, and just like that it's time for a new weekly update!  This past Friday Erik and I treated ourselves to a little date night, dinner at one of our favorite Indian restaurants, and then went to see the UNC vs. Oakland University basketball game.  This was our first sporting event we have been to since we moved to NC; clearly we are not big sports fans, but it was a great game to start with as OU is Erik's alma mater.  He scored free tickets from work, and the seats were great.  It was a lot of fun, and also pretty funny because I was cheering for the Tar Heels and Erik was sitting next to me, wearing his OU t-shirt, clapping and yelling loudly for the Grizzlies. His excitement began to diminish and his claps got quieter as UNC ran up the score, but he expected this. Might I add, the Oakland University had all of 25 fans in the whole stadium so we received some interesting looks from all the UNC fans sitting nearby, haha.  The rest of the weekend was a whirlwind of house projects for Erik and crafting time for me.  I turned our dining room into a little sewing factory, and whipped up a whole bunch of cute baby stuff, primarily for friends who are expecting soon.  I did make our little guy a few cute things which I will eventually share here on the blog.

31 weeks + 4 days

 At 31 weeks, baby B is around the size of a pineapple, measuring around 16" or so in length and weighing in at about 3 pounds.  All of his senses are developed and in working order and the irises in his eyes are now reactive to light.  He continues to add more body fat every week, and will at least double his current weight before birth.
 

31 weeks + 4 days

Fortunately the sciatica I was experiencing last week has pretty much resolved.  I still have occasional tightness and a little nerve pain in my back but nothing like it was.  I have been diligent about doing my stretching exercises every day and I believe that is helping.  No other new symptoms to report, so being that my back is not bothering me so much I actually feel pretty great!  The baby has grown so much that my belly has now grown to the level of my rib cage, which I notice mostly when sitting down, and now the only direction to grow from here is outward or sideways.  This has created a few uncomfortable evenings if I find myself feeling particularly full, as it feels that my lungs are being squished.  The alternative is not eating before bed, which usually results in me waking up at 4 or 5am absolutely starving and tempted to go to the kitchen for a snack.  So I guess that's my new symptom of the week.  If I eat more than a medium sized meal I feel stuffed, and if I don't eat frequently I am starving.  It's like my body wants more food but there is just not enough room for it!

Even with all of the projects we finished over the weekend, we still haven't completed the "baby project" I mentioned weeks ago.  Seriously though, it's almost done and I am anxious to put it together and share the finished product sometime in the next week! 

30 weeks

Since my 30th week fell on the same week as Halloween, I decided to wear my "costume" for the weekly photos.  I made the pumpkin shirt to wear to work on Halloween, and I have to say it was a success.  Even strangers in the hallways smiled or laughed when they saw it.  The shirt was super easy to make. All I did was cut out a pumpkin face (free hand - no need for perfection here) out of black felt, and used a running stitch to sew it to an orange maternity shirt.  I stayed up late on Halloween eve to finish it, and was glad I did!

30 weeks + 4 days

30 weeks + 4 days

Are you sick of me writing about how fast this pregnancy is going yet?  Well I will change my tone then, just a little..  I think about being 30 weeks already, and it's weird to think we are already 3/4 of the way through the pregnancy..  Then I think about 10-12 more to go, and that sounds like a long time before we get to meet this little guy.  I am ready now!  Well, almost ready.  We still have a few little projects I would like to get done before he arrives, but the big things are set and ready to go.  The nursery is pretty much done.  Crib is set up with the new mattress and the linens are washed.  His clothes are also washed and hung in the closet, organized by size and type.  We have a car seat, just waiting to be installed.  I have the boppy, the bumbo chair, wraps and slings for babywearing, and even a wipe warmer plugged in and ready to be filled.  Over-prepared first-time parents?  Yes, I think we qualify as such!

30 weeks + 4 days

At 30 weeks, baby B is about the size of a head of cabbage, measuring around 15.7 inches and weighing in at almost 3 pounds.  A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will shrink as he gets bigger and takes up more room in the uterus. The eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face.  Good thing, I probably will look a bit frightful right after delivery and I don't want to scare the little guy  ;)

I am feeling...  Well, to be honest quite uncomfortable at the present moment.  Sciatica finally found me. Curses!  Last night my back, in the area of my old injury, started to flare up, and this time the pain strongly radiated down my buttock and leg.  This morning it was so bad I had a hard time getting up and had to have Erik help me put my pants and socks on.  I had a good cry (mostly because I was looking forward to a very productive day) then composed myself and took a tylenol, used a heating pad, and stretched and exercised the area for a good long while this morning.  I am feeling better, and was able to be semi-productive throughout the day, but I am not without pain.  I am hopeful that this is just an isolated flare-up and will resolve in a few days as it has in times past.

As for the project I discussed in my last post, needless to say we didn't quite get it finished this weekend.  If after two entire house renovations in the last three years I haven't learned that projects always seem to take longer than planned, well, I don't think I am ever going to learn!  We have it about half-way completed though, and I am really excited to share it on the blog.  By next weekend, I should be able to.  For now, I am signing off to go put up my feet, lay on the heating pad, and get this back feeling better!

Happy Halloween from the B's and our little pumpkin baby!