Short Update

Well, we've had an eventful week. As most everyone who has seen me lately knows, I've been dealing with a lot of swelling. Up until my last Dr. appt. my doctor wasn't too concerned about it because my blood pressure was still in normal range, but when I went in last Thursday my blood pressure was up from it's usual 108/70 to 126/86. So, they tested me for Preclemsia and I got my results yesterday. They did find some protein in my urine but not to the extent that they were going to put me on bedrest because of it. So I guess right now I'm considered border-line Preclemsia and they will just check my BP every week and if I start to get bad headaches or stomach pain I am to call them immediately. They did have me go in for just a BP check yesterday and it was still a little higher then normal, but lower then the previous one. The doctors advice has been to just take things very easy for these last 4 weeks and stay off my feet as much as possible. Yeah right, like that's possible! Not with everything we still need to get done! Oh well...we'll manage. We always do!

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 35 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU:
The time is rapidly approaching when months of waiting (years, for some parents!) is rewarded with your newborn son or daughter. Just as real, are the fears you may be experiencing. If this is your first baby, you may wonder how you will cope with labor. Will it be "easy" or "hard," long or short? We all have visions of the perfect labor, just as surely as we have visions of the "perfect baby." You are probably wondering if you will be a good mother or father or if you will be prepared to meet the demands of parenting. You and your partner have already made some very important decisions, but many more lie ahead. This last month of pregnancy is often an introspective time. Of course it is also a busy time. A time for packing your bag if you will be giving birth in a hospital or birthing center. Time to arrange for child care of siblings and care of the house and pets. Time to buy diapers and baby clothes and a car seat. It's also a good time to prepare your children for the baby. Find out about hospital or birth center protocols for sibling participation. Make an appointment with a pediatrician or pediatric nurse practitioner to ask about newborn exams and tests. Find out if the staff is supportive of breastfeeding. If you haven't already done so, now is the time to write out a list of questions and concerns that you may have regarding your birth.

In all honesty, I try not to think too much about all that stuff. If I did, I'd only be driving myself crazy! I'm a firm believer that whatever is meant to happen is what will happen. God is in control of all this, not me. And knowing that is a tremendous relief for me. :) All I can do is prepare myself for the inevitable challenges, fears, and anxiety, and know that it's all part of this and that we are not alone in any of it.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY:
The "average" baby weighs about five pounds at 35 weeks and is about 15 inches in length, but then again "average" baby can just as commonly weigh seven pounds at this gestational age. It is during this last six weeks of pregnancy that your baby will put on most of his or her weight. In general, babies gain about one-half pound per week in the last month of pregnancy. You may have noticed that your baby has predictable patterns of sleep and wakefulness. As the neurological system develops, he or she will have predictable cycles. Awareness of these patterns provides a helpful insight into your baby's overall well-being. Some practitioners emphasize the importance of daily fetal movement counts. Even if you don't use a counting method, it is wise to be aware of your baby's typical pattern and alert your care provider if he or she seems to be less active, or if the pattern is significantly altered. Your provider may request that a "non-stress" test be performed to observe the activity of the fetal heart in response to fetal movement.

Well as of the last ultrasound (32 wks) she was measuring right in the 55% (4 lbs 3oz). So hopefully she will take after me and only weight around 7 lbs, instead of John, who weighed over 8 lbs. :) She does have her patterns of activity. Always around lunch time and in the early evenings are when you can see my tummy bouncing around the most. She is getting VERY strong in her movements. It's not so much her tumbling around in there (because really there's not a whole lot of room for her anymore) but more like stretching. It's like she stretches her whole body out and let me tell you...it feels so weird!!!!

EATING FOR TWO

Healthy alternatives to unhealthy cravings:

• Graham crackers
• Whole wheat crackers with cheddar cheese
• Dried fruits
• Nonfat yogurt
• Lowfat or nonfat whole grain cereal bars

FACT OF THE WEEK:
You may have struggled with low hemoglobin (iron) during your entire pregnancy only to find that it is beginning to rise again. This elevation is due to the fact that your body is storing iron in preparation for the normal blood loss experienced at birth. Your baby has been manufacturing red blood cells and bone marrow, which may have depleted your levels, but that work is almost done. Now it's your turn to absorb some of the iron.

Haven't had any problems with low iron so far *knocking on wood*.

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 33 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

At long last, you finally fall asleep, only to wake with leg cramps. Ouch! But there's no need to suffer night after night. Try these tips to help eliminate cramps:

• Exercise helps! Get out and walk during your lunch hour.
• Do not stand in the same position for a long period.
• Increase your calcium intake through diet or supplements.
• When lying down, keep your legs a bit elevated.
• When a cramp comes on, flex your toes upward to relieve the spasm and use your hands to apply pressure to the affected muscle.

Foot Cramps: 6 Comfort Measures

Well, I seem to have experienced every uncomfortable side effect of pregnancy except this one, lol! Please don't think I'm complaining....cuz I'm soooo not! Whatever I can get away with, I'm so grateful!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby weighs approximately four pounds five ounces, and measures 40 centimeters crown to rump, or 15 3/4 inches. You may notice rhythmic movements across your belly now. This could mean your baby has a case of the hiccups.

At my last dr. appt. I was 32 wks and 6 days and they did an ultrasound that put her weight almost exactly to what this says she should be weighing. She was 5 lbs 4 oz. Nice to know she's right on target!

EATING FOR TWO

A diet rich in potassium and calcium is great for both you and your baby and can also help to alleviate muscle cramps, which sometimes become bothersome during the last trimester. Need a natural potassium refresher? Try these foods to boost your intake:

• Bananas
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Sesame seeds
• Yogurt
• Salmon
• Cottage cheese
• Almonds
• Sardines
• Soybeans

I've actually been eating a lot of these foods already...maybe that's why I'm not having the leg cramps. Interesting....

FACT OF THE WEEK

Your practitioner may feel your belly and comment on your baby's "presentation." But what exactly does this mean? Presentation refers to the position that your baby has assumed. Babies generally settle into the head down, or cephalic position, around this time. In about three percent of term pregnancies the baby remains breech, meaning that their buttocks or the feet are leading, and would be delivered first.

A cesarean may be recommended if your baby is in the breech position. While vaginal breech births are possible, ask your practitioner if he is skilled and comfortable with this technique and discuss the possible risks. And remember, as a health care consumer, you always have the option of asking another practitioner for a second opinion.

Babies usually assume a head-down position sometime before the 36th week, although some do it even later. If you currently have a baby in the breech position, you can try this exercise to encourage your baby to rotate. Lie on your back and prop your buttocks 9 to 12 inches off the floor with firm, supportive pillows, or a sturdy slant board. Do this exercise for twenty minutes, two to three times a day. It is best done in loose clothing and with a (relatively) empty stomach.

Boy was this weeks update created especially for me or what?!?! At my last appt. the dr. said she was breech and told me if she didn't turn by week 36, I would have to have a c-section. I'm sooooo hoping she flips back down by then! The dr. actually told me about the same exercise mentioned above to try, she said it certainly wouldn't hurt to try it. So I'll have to try it maybe tonight.

Well overdue update....

Gosh....it's been a while since I've updated this, hasn't it? A lot has happened over the last couple weeks too. Here's all the low-down, lol! :)

First, I had my baby shower June 24th which was so nice! We got so many great things that there's really only a few things left we may have to get on our own. We got our stroller and car seat, a bouncer, a pack and play crib, baby bathtub, tons of onsies and cute little sleepers, lots of toys, blankets, and a bunch of the "little" things like nail clippers, bottles, medicine dispensers, & such. I'll have to post some of the pictures when I get a chance to load them on my computer at home.

Then, last Friday we had a little scare. I was always told by my doctor that if I feel any change (too much or too little) in the babies movements to always call them. Well, I realized Thursday afternoon that she wasn't near as active as I'm use to her being and it continued on into Friday morning so I got a little nervous. Usually once I eat or drink anything she gets REAL active but it seemed no matter what I did she just wouldn't move for me so I called the doctor Friday morning and they had me come in and hooked me up to the fetal monitor. I was there for about an hour and at first they weren't getting a whole lot of movement from her either so they had me drink some apple juice and low and behold....she started moving all over the place. What a relief that was! They did an ultrasound as well just to have a look and she was just fine in there, heart rate 155. The nurse said that babies sometimes go through phases like this but that I did the right thing in coming in because you just never know. It was nice to get that reassurance.

We went to a breast feeding class a couple weeks ago and I'm so glad I went. For something that "seems" so natural and pretty straight forward, there is a whole lot to learn! We learned how to get the best latch, which feeding positions work best, when to introduce a bottle and how too, and sooooo many other things. I don't feel near as overwhelmed and freaked out thanks to that class....it was well worth the $65!

Oh yeah. I had a very interesting doctor appointment yesterday. Went in and had an ultrasound done because they wanted to re-check her head because they saw something at the 22 wk ultrasound that they were pretty sure was just a shadow but wanted to re-check to make sure and they also wanted to take her measurements because for some crazy reason they kept saying she was measuring 2 weeks bigger then she should be. So we have it done, and just like I kept telling them, her measurements were perfect! She was in the 55% which is right where she should be for weight, weighing in at 4lbs 3 oz. So that was good! The mark they had seen in the previous ultrasound was nowhere to be found, so that was good too! She also seems to have a lot of hair! But here's the kicker....she is now BREACH!!!! Aghhhhhhhh!!!! She's been head down since 22 wks, she was still head down when I went in that one Friday to check her movements! So I have no idea what happened in a weeks time to cause her to completely flip around, but if she doesn't move back in the next 4 weeks it looks like I am destined for a C-Section *crying*. I really, really don't want a c-section because the recovery is so much longer and the pain lasts much longer as well. Not to mention it's considered major surgery...not an out-patient kinda thing at all!

Well, I think that's all I have for now. I'm now down to 7 weeks left in this whole crazy, amazing experience....don't know where the time has been going, but we are definitely getting excited to meet our little girl! It's getting closer!