I can't believe I've only got 10 weeks left (give or take) to go....time is certainly flying. To be honest, it could go even a little faster as far as I'm concerned because between getting no sleep, peeing constantly, and having my back and hips killing me, I'm ready to feel like myself again. I just can't seem to get comfortable anymore and the unusually hot weather has NOT been helping either. On the positive side, our little girl is so active and I love feeling and seeing her move around. She makes me laugh sometimes with all the crazy acrobats she does in there. I wish I could see what exactly she's doing in there sometimes. She's pretty wild, lol! This part I am definitely going to miss. :(

We picked up our crib this last weekend and we also bought a couple dressers that are sooooo cute for the nursery. It's all currently sitting in our living room until we can get the carpet stretched and the walls painted in her room, which we can't paint until we get her bedding so we can match the right colors. So hopefully we'll have everything all set up in a couple weeks, yay!

Got my results from my 3 hr glucose test....and I passed with flying colors! Wooohooo! Total weight gain as of right now is 17 lbs. which the doctor was very impressed and happy with. Especially considering I haven't been able to work out since about the 5th month because of Pubic Symphysis Diastasis...sounds lovely doesn't it, lol. It's a normal part of pregnancy but can be quite painful (yeah, tell me about it!) Here's a brief explanation of what it is,
Pubic Symphysis Diastasis:
During pregnancy your body produces hormones such as Progesterone, Relaxin, and Prolactin. These hormones relax smooth muscles and ligaments, thus calming the contractions of the uterus while the baby grows. It also helps the pelvis to widen so that you can deliver your baby, but when the joints between the left and right pubic bones begin to loosen it can also become quite painful.
Some women will experience pain in the lower pack or to either side when the pubic bone separation happens. Other women will simply feel pain in the pubic bone area. If you can no longer stand on one leg to put your pants on, have trouble separating your legs, or feel pain in your pubic bone, Pubic Symphysis Diastasis my be the culprit.
Once I read the part about not being able to stand on one leg to put pants on, I knew instantly this is what I've been feeling. It's also part of the reason why I'm not sleeping well. They say it goes away usually about a week or two after delivery. It amazes me how much pregnancy hormones can change your entire body. I feel a lot of times like I don't even know my own body anymore, it just seems to react so differently to everything right now. Oh well, it will come to an end soon and I'm sure I'll be a little sad to see it end even with all my complaining. :)

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 30 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

You may be noticing some swelling of your ankles and legs. Between 40 and 75 percent of pregnant women will develop mild edema. It's most common in late pregnancy, particularly on hot days, or if you've been on your feet a lot. While mild swelling is normal, it's important to call your practitioner if your hands or face begin to swell, if swelling lasts more than 24 hours or if it's accompanied by a rapid weight gain or a rise in your blood pressure -- possible signs of preeclampsia. Your doctor or midwife will check your blood pressure, note the degree of swelling present and will probably decide to run a quick test to see if there is protein in your urine. Preeclampsia affects approximately 5 to 10 percent of pregnant women. Some studies indicate that proper nutrition can reduce your chances of developing this condition.

I've started having some swelling in my left foot and ankle (not the right though....weird I know). I've also had to stop wearing my wedding rings. I can get them on just fine in the morning, but forget about getting them off by the end of the day! I think the swelling for me has more to do with it being so hot outside then anything else. When the weather is cooler I seem to not have an issue. Also, my blood pressure has been perfect so far this pregnancy (108/70).

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby weighs three pounds and measures 14 inches from head to toe. Your baby's eyes may now be wide open. He or she may even have hair!

At this point I really wish my doctor offered 3D ultrasounds. I've seen a few of them and at this stage of the pregnancy if you can get a 3D one done, you pretty much know exactly what your baby will look like. They are so detailed....it's quite amazing!

EATING FOR TWO

In Scandinavia, the average birth weight is eight pounds. In the United States, it's seven to seven-and-a-half pounds. The reason for the lower birth weight among American newborns has been attributed to poor maternal nutrition. Because larger babies are easier to care for, and considerably healthier than underweight babies (defined as five-and-a-half pounds or less), it's important to maintain healthy eating habits. Brain growth and development are rapid now, so a nutritionally sound diet is vital.

FACT OF THE WEEK

What can you expect during labor? There are four stages to the childbirth process:

First Stage: Effacement and dilation: On average, this lasts 12 to 13 hours for first child and seven to eight hours for the second. There are three parts to this first stage of labor:

• Early labor (up to four centimeters dilation): Spend this time at home, resting if possible.
• Active labor (four to seven centimeters dilation): You will know you are in active labor when you have to stop and concentrate on a contraction. Head to the hospital or birth center at this time.
• Transition (seven to ten centimeters dilation): Dilation occurs rapidly and can be quite intense. This can be a time of great vulnerability for the birthing woman and it is likely that she will need the constant support of her labor partner.

Second Stage:Your baby is moving through the birth canal. This stage ends with the welcome sound of your newborn's cries!

Third stage: Contractions continue and the placenta is expelled, usually within 15 minutes or so following the birth.

Fourth stage: Recovery. Feelings range from exhaustion to exhilaration!

We've got our crib! Well, we will this weekend anyway. My mom and dad wanted to buy it so we all went out the other day to look at them and found a very cute one. My parents are so great! I also have my baby shower next weekend which my wonderful aunts are throwing for me. I am really excited about it! So it looks like things are finally starting to come together.

Had my 1 hr glucose test last Thursday and failed....barely, but enough that I had to take the dreaded 3 hr test yesterday. Ugh!!!!! I hate that test! I should find out by the end of the week if I passed it. The nurse seemed to think since I was so close to normal on the first one that I would probably pass the second one just fine. When she was telling me this I was just thinking... if you know I'll pass the second one, why torture me by making me take it? Meanie!!!! Oh well, I know it's probably for the best....still doesn't make it any easier.

We also looked at our first day care center this week. We looked at KinderCare (referred to us by my friend Jill). It went pretty good. They are very close to John's work and they do flexible schedules which is essential to us and I have found very few centers willing to do it. We are hoping that between our work schedules we will only need to take her to a day care provider 3 days a week. I wish we didn't have to take her anywhere at all, but unless we win the lottery or something we have no other option. It's a bummer. :( One thing I can't seem to grasp is the cost of day care....HOLY COW!!!!! John and I make pretty good money, we don't live beyond our means, but still we are definitely going to be feeling the pinch for a while! I don't know how people with much less make this work....especially with more then one child. It's crazy!!!

Oh and my registry at Babies R Us is completely screwed up I think...ugh!!! BRU and Amazon.com (who BRU uses for their on-line registry/buying) are going separate ways. I was looking at my registry online and noticed that darn near everything I had on there said "This Item is Currently Not Available." What the heck!!!!! So I call BRU and come to find out they are slowly moving everything from Amazon.com to a new website (that won't be up and running until sometime in July!!). So anyone who wants to order online or just look to get an idea of what to buy will be meet with very little options. The real kicker is that all these items they say are "unavailable" ARE AVAILABLE in any store, just not online...which they don't clarify for online customers. It would have been nice of them to let their customers know before hand that this was going to be an issue instead of just making us figure it all out on our own after we've already registered. I'm starting to dislike BRU more and more...every time I turn around there's another problem. The second being that I know for a fact that some things on my registry have been purchased, but there not showing up as already being purchased like their suppose too. So I have a feeling I might end up with duplicate things, which is no big problem I can just take them back for something else but BRU have also changed their return policy. You can no longer just return it for something else...you need a gift receipt. So if I don't get gift receipts with the gifts I won't be able to return them. People forget all the time to add those things to the gifts they give. If I'd known they were going to have all these problems I would have registered somewhere else....Ugh!

Well, have I ranted and raved enough for you, lol!?!? Sorry for all the subject jumping and rambling, guess I just had a lot to say today.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far! Have a great weekend!

We're in the home stretch....

I can't believe we are already in the last trimester...time has been flying. Only 12 more weeks (give or take) until our little girl is here. I'm starting to get very excited! I think I'm starting to get what some call the "nesting" instinct. I thought this instinct usually hit pretty close to when you deliver, but I don't know how else to explain this strong urge I have to clean and clear out all the clutter in our house. I was even out pulling weeds in our backyard this weekend (something I hate too do!). I actually think I over did it with all the cleaning and clearing the last few weekends because my poor body feels like it's been in a bar fight or something and I'm so overly tired and irritable today, lol. :(

Last weekend we cleared out the garage. Went to Home Depot, got some shelving for the garage so we could take the boxes we had stored in the closet in the room that will be the nursery (our house doesn't have a basement) and put them in the garage. Then we cleared out everything from that room and had to rearrange it to fit into the guest bedroom. It was quite a chore!

Our little girl has been very active the last few weeks with her movements, getting quite strong. John is amazed at the strength she has, he's been able to REALLY feel her move for a while now. She's actually kicked my hand right off my tummy a few times, lol! These movements are starting to get a little uncomfortable sometimes too. Sometimes she feels like she's trying to push herself right out of my stomach, lol!

I go for my Glucose test Thursday, blah...not looking forward to that test! My doctor appointments have gone from once a month to now twice a month. I'm still measuring perfectly and baby's heart rate is always strong, around the 150's. Outside of a few muscle discomforts and the fatigue sometimes, this pregnancy so far has gone pretty darn smoothly (knock on wood!) I can only hope this continues all the way through to the end. ;)

Well, I think this is all I have for an update. Below is my Week By Week Guide for my current week, 28.

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 28 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

Though it's something no mom-to-be wants to think about, it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of preterm labor.

If you have back pain or menstrual-type cramping that seems to come and go, or if your uterus seems to be contracting four to five times an hour, drink two glasses of water and call your care provider immediately.

• Call your care provider if you experience any of these signs -- not all related to preterm labor:
• Leaking of fluid
• Discharge that seems to be abnormal in color, consistency or odor. Call your care provider if you have any loss of your mucus plug or any bleeding at all.
• If you are feeling lots of pelvic pressure. If your baby feels like he or she is pushing down quite heavily, you should let your provider know.
• Burning or pain when you urinate
• Fever and/or headaches that don't go away
• Pain in your upper abdomen
• Swelling in your face and upper extremities

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby's eyelids, which have been fused shut, begin to open ... along with a new set of eyelashes! Your baby already appears a lot like he or she will look at birth. The skin, though, is quite wrinkled due to constant immersion in amniotic fluid.

EATING FOR TWO

Tonight, cook lamb or salmon and prepare this cool and refreshing salad:

Minted Cucumber and Pea Salad

4 cucumbers
2/3 cup cooked peas
1 cup mint, finely chopped
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Peel cucumbers, slice lengthwise, remove seeds and cut into half-moon slices. Combine cucumbers with the other ingredients and serve chilled.

FACT OF THE WEEK

One out of four pregnant women will have a cesarean. Here are a few facts:

• A cesarean section is major abdominal surgery. When a cesarean is necessary, it can be a life saving technique for both mother and infant.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) states that no region in the world is justified in having a cesarean rate greater than 10 to 15 percent.
• The four most common medical causes contributing to the increase in cesarean section rates in North America are: routine repeat cesareans; dystocia (non- progressive labor); breech presentation; and fetal distress.
• In 1989, a medical study done in Houston, Texas concluded that epidural analgesia is associated with significant increases in the incidence of cesarean section for dystocia in women having their first labor.
• Of 11,814 women admitted for labor and delivery and attended by midwives to 84 free standing birth centers in the US, 15.8 percent were transferred to the hospital and 4.4 percent had a cesarean section. Although the women were lower than average risk of a poor pregnancy outcome, their cesarean rate is one-fifth of the national average.