36 Weeks, 2 Days

Only 5 days until James is considered to be a full term baby-woohoo!

It has been a crazy week so far. On Monday I went in for our growth scan ultrasound. It was great to see James! He is still breech. He is kind of at an angle-not sideways, but not completely head up. My fluid levels are higher (still). They estimate his weight (based on his size and measurements of his head, belly, bones, etc.) to be 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Already! Of course, he feels like he weighs 25 pounds to me. His belly was measuring like that of a 40 weeker, so they wanted to test me for gestational diabetes again (I have been checked twice so far, and my blood sugar levels were on the low side but good) based on his size and the excess fluid. I took the glucose test Tuesday morning. They have a 1-hour version (the version I took earlier in pregnancy, most recently at 27 weeks) but it has a higher false positive rate, so they had me do the 3 hour test. Ugh. It is no fun! The test came back with my numbers very low, and they wanted me to take it again. I was so upset because they said the lab had messed up, but then the doctor called and spoke to the lab tech who ran the test and they did run the test correctly. My body just processes sugar "very well," which is interesting. They said to make sure to eat frequently. Ok, I can do that. :)

The maternal and fetal assessment doctor (not my OB, but one of the doctors that oversees the growth scans and nonstress tests) said the likelihood of needing a c-section is higher because of James's size, his position, and my higher fluid levels. That frustrated me, but then I remembered...the ultimate goal is to have a happy and healthy baby. If he needs to be born via c-section, then that is what we will do!

I had another OB appointment today. The game plan is to have the External Cephalic Version (ECV) procedure done next Tuesday, where a doctor in labor and delivery will try to move James head-down by pressing on my belly. It only has a 50% success rate, but my OB, Matt, and I agree that we want to try this so we know we did everything we could to try and get him head-down to avoid a c-section. The rate is higher for women who have had more than one pregnancy, but having the extra fluid can actually be beneficial in this case-it may allow them to manipulate him a bit more. Some doctors will use an epidural depending on how they like to do the procedure. Some women say it's very painful, and others say it's mildly uncomfortable. So...yeah...I'll take whatever pain medicine they offer. ;) They do a nonstress test before beginning the procedure to make sure James isn't in distress, and to confirm that he is still head-up. If the ECV is successful, they will schedule my induction to take place around May 7 (when I will be 39 weeks). If the ECV is not successful and they are unable to get him to turn head-down, they will schedule a c-section to take place around May 7. This is assuming, of course, that I don't go into labor beforehand. If he is breech, they will have to do a c-section (so, we will have a c-section if he is born before Tuesday, or if the ECV isn't successful and he doesn't move head-down on his own). The good news is that it seems unlikely for them to do a c-section just because of James's size-he'd have to be over 10 pounds for them to do that.

I had painful contractions twice yesterday, one set in the afternoon and one in the evening. They were not labor contractions (they went away after about an hour and a half) but nothing helped, like walking, lying down, or drinking lots of water, so they were much more intense than the Braxton Hicks contractions I have had up to this point. They did not check to see if I was dilated or effaced today, but will check that at my next OB appointment. They usually don't check until 37 weeks or so, at least at this hospital.

Fruit time! According to baby websites, James is 4.2-6 pounds. The 7 pound, 10 oz  (or 7.625 pounds) from the ultrasound is just an estimate, but is usually accurate within 10% or so, which puts him between 6.9 and 8.4 pounds. He's a big boy! So he is bigger than these fruits, but hey, just for fun...

Crenshaw Melon (ew) or Honeydew (again). 

He is still probably around 18-18.5 inches. 

More updates to come next week (hopefully he'll stay put until then!). :)

35 Weeks, 5 Days

Oh my goodness, time has flown by since the last blog post! We have been busy nesting and I have been busy sewing (bibs, bow ties, burp cloths and other baby-related goodies). It's helping me rid of some of that nervous energy I have now that our little boy's arrival is just around the corner!

James is doing well! He is over 18 inches long now (almost 19 inches) and won't gain much more length before he's born, but will gain some more weight. He weighs between 5-6 pounds right now, but we'll have a more accurate guess (a more accurate guess just seems like an oxymoron) after the growth scan ultrasound tomorrow.

Fruits of the week:

Coconut and Honeydew! (Although the website that says Coconut for 35 weeks says Honeydew for 36 weeks...I think they're running out of produce to compare baby to). If I had to guess his size and weight and compare it to a fruit, I'd say a watermelon considering how huge I am and how heavy I feel. I am getting to the point where quite a few strangers are asking me when I am due. Half the time I'm caught off guard and wonder why they're asking me "what I do"-that's so rude!-and then I realize what they really asked. 23 days or less as of today, but I just started saying "3 weeks" because I'm lazy.

This, but sideways. 

His hearing is now fully developed, and his testes have fully descended. Atta boy. Earlier today Sirius yelped (Matt accidentally stepped on his paw) and James responded to that. Apparently they hear higher pitched frequencies better. I guess James would love Mariah Carey, then, yes?

The past 4-5 days he has been much more active than usual, but today he has been pretty quiet. I have been noticing more false contractions, lower back/pelvis/hip pain, and other changes that tell me that labor is coming within a couple of weeks. Yay! Now if we could only get him to flip head down....That would be great.

We will find out his position, estimated weight, growth, and my fluid levels tomorrow. Wednesday I have another nonstress test, and Thursday is an OB appointment. This is the first appointment where they start checking me for signs of labor, I believe. They will also discuss trying to move James manually. This is called External Cephalic Version, which is latin for "pushing very hard on a pregnant woman's belly to get the baby to move downwards." I believe James has started to rotate more downwards, but don't think his head is engaged like it used to be.

I will be updating the blog with more info this week. We're getting very close. Thanks for reading!

34 Weeks

Oh. My. Goodness. We will be parents within 5 weeks (May 7). FIVE WEEKS! That's a mere 35 days. 35 days! (Can you tell this is still sinking in?) We are so excited! I'm more nervous/anxious than Matt is, but that's typical. We have both been nesting, and I don't think our apartment has ever been more clean or organized. Having my mom here to help us encouraged the nesting instinct, I think. She was the baby laundry queen.

Baby James is continuing to put on more weight in the form of fat. He (still) weighs between 4.2-5.8 pounds and is getting closer to 18 inches. We'll find out a closer estimate of his weight at his next growth scan on April 15. He is either a cantaloupe or butternut squash, both of which have already been used. I guess I should say he is the size/weight of either a cantaloupe or butternut squash. He is still a baby.

And for a more realistic portrayal:

He is responding to voices more, especially Matt's...which is just the most precious thing ever. :) His fingernails have reached the end of his fingertips. He continues to wiggle quite a bit. Usually he'll be very active for a day or two, then more quiet for a day or two. Of course I start worrying when he's not moving as much, because I am a worrier...but he's doing just fine! Antibodies are crossing through the placenta building up his immune system, while his skin is less wrinkly because his fat is building up. He'll be our little chunky monkey! He is also urinating a pint a day. Productive!

My mom and I went to the Childbirth Prep class on Saturday. It was informative and the instructor was great. The class went over the basics of childbirth, like going natural and pain options, why a c-section would be necessary, how an induction works, and what happens after the baby is delivered. As long as everything goes as planned and both of us are fine, baby James and I will be able to bond for an hour or so after birth and try to breastfeed. Then it's bath time! Matt gets to help the corpsman with that. Two or so hours after birth we'll be transferred into a postpartum room, where we'll stay for 48 hours. We will probably let family in to the room after the first hour of bonding time. The labor and delivery takes place in one room, and it has a nice layout. It is a hospital so it has a sterile atmosphere, but isn't as militaristic as I anticipated. All the nurses we ran into were very friendly. I would have a hard time being an L&D nurse, putting up with (mostly) cranky women all day. 

The nursery is almost done! We just need to anchor the bookshelf...and I think that's it. It looks wonderful. It is very bright and happy, as it should be. :)

One of the great baby shower gifts I received was a sewing machine from my Navy support group (mostly Navy moms). We started making a nursing cover with it, yay! I am excited to finish that up. I'm also working on some nursing pads. 

My mom bought this precious little hat for James at the NEX when we were leaving the hospital (and I was taking her to the airport). Navy pride!

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Hope you have a great week. :)

33 Weeks, 3 Days

We've been very busy this week prepping the nursery, washing ten (!!) loads of baby clothes and linens, and packing James's bag to take to the hospital. There's a general consensus among family that James will be born in April. We can't wait to meet our little boy! 

James is now about 4.2-5.8 pounds (probably closer to 5ish by now based on previous ultrasounds) and about 17 inches long. My ribs definitely feel his legs stretching. This morning he was pushing his butt up, making my belly a very odd shape. So silly! James is either a Durian (a really ugly and creepy-looking fruit) or a pineapple (again). 

His breathing and sucking are continuing to develop and his bones are hardening. His pupils constrict, dilate, and detect light. James's brain is growing, but I'm convinced he's stealing all of my brain cells. :)

We've had a very busy week! My baby shower was on Saturday and it was so much fun. James and I were completely spoiled, and the food was amazing. It was so nice of friends and family to travel to celebrate little James with us. Katie and Michele put so much work into the shower, and I can't thank them enough for that. It was just perfect!

A week ago I had another OB appointment. It went great! My mom was able to come with me, and the doctor was nice enough to do a little ultrasound so she could see James. His head is too low to see (the doctor originally thought he wasn't head down...then realized his head was just so low she couldn't see it from the angle of the ultrasound), but we got to see his torso and legs, and he confirmed that he is indeed a boy. We were able to see his ribs, which was awesome-I've never seen those in previous ultrasounds. His bones are getting so big and strong! I also had another nonstress test on Wednesday, and James was perfect. He definitely doesn't like having the monitor on my belly and kicked it throughout the entire test, but we were able to get a good 30-minute reading. The nurse rechecked my fluid levels and they're within the normal limits now-yay! They're on the high side of normal, so they will continue to monitor them, but that's a relief. 

I can definitely feel James getting heavier and longer. His movements are not so much "kicks" anymore because he can't stretch and move around as much-space is getting tight! My breathing is much more labored, and I find myself waddling more each day. It is harder to get comfortable, but I'm still able to get a decent amount of sleep most nights. I'm enjoying that while I can. :) I feel huge most days, but that's par for the course at this point...and I have a pretty good reason. I am still having nausea but am getting sick every other day or so, which isn't too bad. I have been craving more sweets...but that could have something to do with the Girl Scout cookies in the pantry.

It has been so much fun to have my mom visiting us, and I'm sad to see her leave tomorrow after our childbirth class and hospital tour. The next time she visits us will be after James is born. Oh my goodness! Time is flying by. I'm going to miss being pregnant and feeling him move, but can't wait for Matt to be able to hold his son, and for his grandma and grandpas and aunts and uncles to meet him. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

32 Weeks, 1 Day

We're getting closer!

James's toenails are now visible and he's starting to lose the lanugo (the fine downy hair covering his body). His skin is starting to plump up a bit as he adds more fat to his little body. His lungs continue to develop and he's absorbing more nutrients as he prepares for birth. Baby websites say he's about 16-16.5 inches long and weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds (we know he weighs more than that, but the length is probably not too far off). He'll gain about 1/2 a pound per week until he's born.

This week's vegetable is the strangest food comparison to date. One website says he's about the size of a squash. What kind of squash? We're not sure. The other vegetable is a jicama. Yes. A Jicama.

This, apparently, is a jicama, also called a Mexican Turnip. It usually weighs 1-2 pounds but can get up to 20 pounds.....so how is that a good comparison for a 32-week-old baby? We're not very clear on that.

He's getting so big!

James has some days where he's very wiggly and others where he's silent. I love it when people are able to feel him kick and move! It's awesome. But only when I know those people. I'm not big on strangers touching my belly, but luckily that hasn't happened much. I've had more people commenting on my pregnancy, and a few retired military guys say something along the lines of "Boy, good luck raising a kid in the world we live in..." Thanks, guys! Today James is big on kicking my ribs. Silly baby. He has also been having frequent hiccups, which is the gosh darn cutest thing in the world.

I'm feeling a lot of pressure on my pelvis/hips/lower back (same as last week), but am noticing that I get out of breath easier than I did a couple of weeks ago. Crazy info tidbit: my blood volume has increased 40-50% since I got pregnant. That explains some of the headaches. I'm uncomfortable, but some days are better than others. Some nights are better than others, too. I am so blessed to be able to carry our son, but am eager to hold him in my arms. :) 

We had our first nonstress test this morning. One band is wrapped around the top of my belly and a little disc is placed underneath the band to monitor any contractions I may have. A second band is placed on my lower belly with another disc underneath it, but that one has ultrasound gel on it. It is used to monitor James's heart rate. They couldn't find James's heart rate with the little disc, so they did the other half of the nonstress test first, which is an ultrasound machine used to measure amniotic fluid. Side note-he is still head down! They found where his heart was located, measured the amniotic fluid, then hooked me back up to the other machine. James did not like the little disc-he kept kicking it and dislodging it. I was reading but had to stop to hold the disc in place. It took about 20 minutes for him to calm down so the disc could get a good reading. They monitored him for about 30 minutes and his heart rate was great, averaging 155 bpm. I have an allergic reaction (severe itching) to the gel once it's removed from my belly, and when they were trying to find James's heart rate with the disc the first time they rubbed the gel all over my belly. It was hard to sit still when I just wanted to scratch my belly like there was no tomorrow! My blood pressure and heart rate were both in a normal range. 

One cause for concern is my amniotic fluid levels. Since our ultrasound in December, a few techs have mentioned that I have high fluid levels. Today, they diagnosed me with polyhydramnios, which is an elevated level of amniotic fluid. It can be caused by diabetes, a certain condition with twins or multiples in utero, or incompatible blood types between mom and baby, but I don't have any of those issues. It could also be an indication of a birth or swallowing defect, but all the tests run on James so far haven't shown any cause for concern. About half of the time the doctors don't know what causes the condition. It can lead to early labor, my water breaking too early, or placenta abruption, or can cause no issues whatsoever. The good news is that although my levels are high, they're not extremely high. There's nothing that can be done about this issue, so I just need to take it easy, stay hydrated, and pray that he stays in the womb as long as possible. Both Matt and I will be surprised if he makes it to May, considering his position right now and this issue. 

I have one more class to attend-a Childbirth prep class with my mom. My seventh and my last class! Between classes and reading, I feel prepared, but can anything really prepare a woman for labor, delivery, and taking care of a baby? That being said, I have no doubt in our ability to care for our son. I am so excited! When I was at the hospital today, I picked up the pre-admissions packet I need to fill out so I don't have to deal with paperwork while I'm in labor.  

This week will be so much fun. My mom flies in Thursday (WOOHOO!), OB appointment Friday, and my shower on Saturday. I am so excited to see friends and family. I hope the OB does a little ultrasound on Friday to find James's heart rate (instead of using a doppler) so my mom can see James "live." 

Much love from our family to yours!

31 Weeks

As I write this, James is using my uterus as a bouncy house. The leftover sweet tea I was drinking might have something to do with that. The other day I thought he changed positions-it was the most intense movement I've ever felt, like an earthquake in my belly-but I think he was just...stretching? Or just being a bouncy baby. 

At this point, James's central nervous system can regulate his body temperature and his fat stores have increased (hence the weight gain). Baby websites say he weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds (nah, he's a big boy) and is about 16 inches long. 16 inches!!! Remember when he was 3 inches? He's been very productive. He can turn his head from side to side now, too.

16 inches...about the size of a....

PINEAPPLE!

Ohemgee, this makes me so happy. I. Love. Pineapples. They're a symbol of hospitality, so a lot of signs and items from the olden days (especially in Virginia) have a pineapple on them. I think we have 10 pineapple-related items throughout the house. Not as many pineapples as gnomes, but we're getting there. In case you are interested, here is an article on the Social History of the Pineapple. (I couldn't make that up if I tried.) Anyway, moving on....

Another fruit comparison: four naval oranges (why four of one fruit, when the best fruit of all-pineapple-will do?)

For a non-fruit visual:

Baby is getting more comfortable...and low. (I love how the little pointer that says "fat" points to the entire baby.)

The other night, Matt asked what the first book we read to James should be. I thought for a moment, then realized I couldn't pick just one. He decided that the book "All of Life is a School" by Kermit Weeks would be perfect, and I suggested that we read it to him that night. Why wait until he's born? He can hear us now. :) 

Background: Kermit Weeks is the owner of Fantasy of Flight, a hybrid amusement park/airplane collection between Orlando and Tampa. Matt and I have been there a few times, and just love it. On our last visit, Kermit did a demo flight and talked with guests afterwards. We had bought the children's book in the gift shop (it is a great story with animated planes as the characters) and asked him to sign it. He asked who he should make it out to, and I said "Our yet-to-be-conceived child?" He let out a short laugh, asked us our last name, then wrote on the page. 

<3

Tonight is James's first astronomy event! We are going to a science fair with the astronomy club Matt is part of. So nerdy, and so adorable. I hope James already knows all the planets, or his dad will be very disappointed.

I am going to an all day Baby Boot Camp (yes, that's the title) class at the naval hospital this Thursday, and the non-stress tests start next Wednesday. This weekend we get to spend some time with Nonnie and Grandpa!

My belly is getting so big the maternity shirt barely covers it!

Happy Tuesday!

30 Weeks!!!!

We can't believe we're 75% there. Only 10 more weeks to go! Well, actually, 9, but I'll get to that in a minute.

According to baby websites, James weighs 3-3.5 pounds, is about 15-17 inches from head to heel, and is the size of a cucumber or cabbage. I'm pretty sure we've used cucumber before, but just for the fun of it, here it is.

An English Hothouse Cucumber.

And...Cabbage. 

James's eyes are now open a good amount of the time, but his vision is...horrible, to put it nicely. He might have a full head of hair, and red blood cells are forming in his bone marrow. His super smart brain is getting more wrinkly as it grows. Little James's hands have enough strength to grasp a finger. Awwww! :) He's surrounded by a pint and a half of amniotic fluid right now, but that amount will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in the womb. 

For the first time, this picture actually reflects James's actual position! 

He's lower than this baby, but you get the idea. :)

I had an OB appointment on Friday, and that went well. My BP is great and my weight hasn't changed (as long as I'm not losing but James keeps gaining, that's good). His heart rate was in the 150's. 

We had a growth scan (ultrasound) yesterday, and we got lots of good information. He weighs 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and is measuring 2 weeks ahead. He's in the 50th percentile for growth for 32 week babies. That's good, though! He is head down and is very very low. I felt him move the other day and thought he moved head down, so I'm glad I was able to confirm that. He's facing my spine, which is the perfect position for birth. The ultrasound tech thought it was funny that he was already prepping for birth, ten weeks early. He's a planner, just like his mommy and daddy! Although he could still change positions up to 36-37 weeks or so, the tech and doctor don't think he's going anywhere because he is so low and really wedged down in there. He was very wiggly during the exam, but we were not able to get able to get any pictures because of his position. Doesn't look like we'll be able to get any more pictures until he's born. We did get one picture of his leg and it looks like a chicken wing. His legs are sooooo long! His heart rate was 159. It is so cool to go to the ultrasounds and see how big he and all of his organs and bones are getting. When I saw how big his heart has gotten I started tearing up. So amazing!

They are not changing my due date, but if I don't go into labor before 39 weeks (May 7), they're going to induce me as a precaution because of some medical issues I have. It's better to err on the side of caution and not wait until 40 weeks, especially because he has been measuring big. The date of conception still isn't clear, so it's possible I'm already 32 weeks (as I've mentioned) right now but they don't want to "officially" change my due date. I have a feeling James will arrive before 39 weeks. I hope I don't have to be induced, but as long as he is healthy, that is all that matters. :) 

My next ultrasound is in mid-April. I'm going to start weekly fetal monitoring (non stress test) in two weeks. This will monitor his heart rate and any contractions I may be having. Between these appointments, my regular OB appointments, my baby shower, and baby-related classes, I'll be staying very busy until he's born!

His kicks/punches continue to get stronger. When he moves, my whole belly moves. Because he is so low, my sciatica and lower back pain have been worse. There's not much that helps it besides massage, which is frustrating. It makes sleeping very awkward. Leaning forward can help with the pain, but with my belly in the way, that's a challenge. Luckily, my heartburn has been better since he moved head down, but it's still there. My lungs are still being compressed, and I hate that feeling. He has been kicking my ribs more...that doesn't feel great! My nausea comes and goes, but I have been getting sick less often. I've also been eating more small meals to combat nausea and vomiting. Despite all this, I know how blessed we are to be creating a life, and he will be worth every moment of pain or discomfort. 

We can't wait to meet our precious James!

Happy Tuesday!