38 week appointment

Tony began his twice weekly telecommuting schedule today, so we went to the doctor's appointment together. No luck though. My doctor had just been called to the hospital for a delivery. We walked around the shopping plaza and the surrounding neighborhood for an hour, but since she was still at the hospital, I rescheduled my appointment for tomorrow at their other location. I've never been there before and it's further away, so I hope it's not too difficult to find.

It was a nice day for a walk, so we didn't mind the inconvenience. Fall has arrived here and brought with it blue skies and jacket-weather temperatures. It is the first time in months that it has felt good to be outside, and I'm loving it.

big bootie

While I was sick I did a lot of knitting, and I decided to try out a baby bootie pattern. I thought since it was such a small thing to knit, it should go quickly. BUT the pattern was a bit more complicated than I had thought...and I don't think I was using the right kind of yarn...and my gauge was probably off...

The result? One big bootie! It will be Bean's Christmas stocking this year.

37 weeks and counting

Not much news. I'm finally getting over my cold. The reflux remains a 24-hour battle, but at least now I'm armed with Zantac.

At my 37 week appointment, I had lost one pound, blood pressure and urinanalysis were normal. Bean's heart rate was steady, and while he has moved down a little, he's still filling my entire torso because he's gotten bigger. Still no signs of dilatation, but I am 50% effaced which is at least a start.

The doctor and I discussed the possibility of a C-section, and she seemed more upset about it than I am. I guess she's used to women being disappointed if they're not able to have a "normal" vaginal delivery. I told her that I don't really have any expectations, and I just want to do what's best. Of course, I'd prefer not to have major abdominal surgery...but it's not my call.

We met with a pediatric practice last week and Tony and I liked what we saw. The doctor we met was very nice, they've got great hours, and they accept our insurance. Also, they are located in the same building as my ob/gyn so the location is convenient.

drats

Despite taking my jumbo prenatal vitamins, and every precaution possible, I got Tony's cold. Friday, I finally gave in and took a nap after a very long week. I awoke 3 hours later with an irritated throat and that weird burning feeling in my sinuses...my usual first warning signs of a cold.

Sure enough, by Saturday morning it was a full-blown cold. I lived on the sofa bed all weekend, knitting and reading Harry Potter. Tony kept me company as we watched the extended version of the Fellowship of the Rings. The added scenes were awesome, but definitely lengthy. We also watched some the DVD extras and lots of football this weekend.

The only thing I can take is Sudafed, but it does help and I'm grateful for the relief. Searching for Sudafed online, brought me to this article...apparently Sudafed is responsible for the downfall of many individuals in New South Wales.

36 week appointment

I called the doctor's office before leaving for my appointment, just to be sure they were open, and they were. Since the federal government was closed, Tony had another day off work, so he was able to come along. The drive there was uneventful. All the traffic lights were working and the roads were clear which was a nice surprise.

I got the express check up today--no urinanalysis because the bathroom was out of order because the county has no water, and no internal exam because the nurse forgot to ask me to undress and give me a gown. All that was left was to weigh in, check my blood pressure, and listen to Bean's heartbeat. My weight has stabilized, pressure was good, and the steady beat of Bean's little heart is always a pleasure to hear.

formal clothes

Today the Bean's first formal outfit arrived, a christening suit I had ordered online. Tony's parents have given us beautifully embroidered baby bunting to use for the christening, but we still needed something for the Bean to wear underneath. The bunting was used for Tony's baptism as well as his brothers, and was a gift from their grandmother in Taiwan. We're honored to be able to carry on that tradition. We'll also be using a teeny, tiny gold cross necklace that I had worn as a baby that was gift from my great-grandfather...we're suckers for sentimental traditions.

After seeing the bunting, I began to look for the rest of the Bean's ensemble. Little girls have scores of ornate christening gowns to choose from, but there is some really horrible stuff out there for baby boys...mostly tiny tuxedoes with silly bowties.

An Irish linen suit caught my eye, and while I'm certain it's worth every penny, I couldn't justify spending that much money on something that will be worn once and could very well end up covered in spit-up or worse. After further searching, I found Baby Heirlooms in Utah which had just what I was looking for. The suit is simple, crafted of high-quality fabrics, and just too sweet to pass up.

car seat update

We went to the car seat inspection bright and early Sunday morning. We were the first cars there, but we weren't the first ones in line. We were waiting for the inspectors to finish setting up, when an impromptu line was formed by some more aggressive folks...some of which hadn't even tried to install their car seats. They just brought them along and had the inspectors install them...aggressive and lazy...but I digress...

It was all worth the effort because both of our car seat bases had to be re-installed. The seat belted one in the Saturn wasn't installed tightly enough. It took 2 men and a lot of sweat, but they got a snug fit. I was amazed at the amount of brute strength required for a proper installation. The LATCH system car seat in the Honda had to moved from the center position to the side because the LATCH connections were too close together in the center. Apparently, they have to be 22 inches apart. Also they were able to get a better fit using the seat belt, so in the end the LATCH system wasn't used at all.

One interesting factoid...in every magazine and car seat review, you'll read that you should use a rear-facing car seat until the baby reaches one year old or 20 lbs. The car seat inspectors told us that the baby has to be rear-facing until at least their first birthday, and that if they surpass the weight limit first, you should buy a convertible car seat and use it in the rear-facing position until they get old enough to ride facing forward. A child under one year of age should never ride facing forward even if they're over the 20 lb. limit.

at least this is ready...

I finished the bean blanket over the weekend! It's about 30x40--soft yet sturdy to hold up during the many washings it will probably be subjected to. I really like how pronounced the pattern is with this yarn as opposed to the subtle texture it gave to the blanket I made for Elaine. Now I have to decide what to make next...

35 week appt.

We struck out at the car seat inspection today. It ran from 1pm-3pm, but when we got there at 2:15, they were already turning cars away. I had no idea it would be so busy, especially on a rainy day. Our next chance is Sunday morning, and you can be sure we'll be there early.

Tony was able to join me for my dr. appt which was a nice surprise. I've been going solo for almost 2 months. Another jump in my weight, but the total I've gained isn't too bad, so I'm trying to be relaxed about it. I knew it was going to be another significant gain because I've been able to notice the difference. I can't sit as close to the table as I used to, and when I brush my teeth it takes some effort to be over the sink. My blood pressure is still really good, and the Bean's heartrate was strong and steady.

The not-fun part was the internal exam--my first since the very beginning of the pregnancy. Thankfully, it was brief. I haven't begun to dilate yet, and I'm not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved about that. Feeling my abdomen, the dr. made her estimate of the Bean's current weight...and her guess is in the high sixes! Her exact words were, "Looks like it could be an 8 pounder." That was not at all what I had hoped to hear...Tony laughed nervously. He's worried about having to be in the room if I need a C-section...and I don't blame him.

cake in 3D

While looking for holiday cake pans, I came across this on the Wilton web site. I managed to restrain myself from instantly buying it, but then I saw it in person at the craft store, and it was too cool to pass up. I'm definitely going to use it for the Bean's christening party. Maybe, I'll have to make a test cake first...I can't wait to try it out.

car seat installation

Car seats are tricky business. Not only did the car seat come with it's own hefty manual, I also had to read through several pages of documentation in each of our car's owner manuals, before I could even attempt to install it. Then, I had to register the car seat and the additional car seat base online and check to be sure it hadn't been recalled. The list of recalled car seats is enough to cause panic, but thankfully my model numbers were not among them.

I had considered installing the car seat bases sooner, but thought I was probably getting ahead of myself. Now I wish I had. It would've been a lot easier to install back in the days when I was small enough to fit comfortably in the back seat of our compact cars. I did manage to install the seat in the back of our 97 Saturn using the center seat belt, but I'm not confident that it's as secure as it should be. The good news is that there are free car seat inspections at Babies R Us Friday afternoon, so I can get an expert opinion.

Tonight, Tony and I tackled installing the second base into the 03 Civic which has the fancy new LATCH system. LATCH is supposed to make installation near fool-proof, but the basic principle, and therefore, the problem remains the same. Whether you use a seat belt or LATCH, you've got to pull the belt super-tight in order to secure the seat, and you still have to read a ton of documentation.

We'll have both seats inspected on Friday, and I'm curious to see how we've done.

childbirth class: part two

Day two covered emergency childbirth, C-sections, breastfeeding, and basic infant care (diapers, bathing, swaddling, etc.). One of the dysfunctional couples from the day before didn't show up, and another father came late so he could watch his football game. The late father's wife confided to some of the other expectant moms that he had wanted to skip the class all together to go to the Giants game in NJ. I love football, but it's just one weekend, and I would think being by your partner's side at this time should be top priority...but hey, that's me. God help these women if they go into labor during a football game.

It felt like we covered a lot more material during this class than we did the day before, and I'm grateful for the many handouts to help me remember it all...though I really hope we won't need the emergency childbirth info.

I forgot to mention yesterday that the arrogant, "my wife needs a private room" guy from the hospital tour was in our classes. He didn't seem to recognize Tony or me, but we sure remembered him. He attended the class solo and didn't participate at all. I don't understand how he or his wife could possibly benefit from the class...maybe he came for the free refreshments.

childbirth class: part one

Today was part one of our 5-hour a day marathon childbirth classes. Compared to the option of attending an hour long evening class twice a week for six weeks, the one weekend course sounded a lot more appealing.

So far class has been worthwhile. Tony has said he learned a lot and was totally amazed by the natural abilities of the female body. The instructor reminded us both of Cheri OTeri, but we were grateful for her over-the-top enthusiasm by the time we rolled into the third hour.

Here's what I've learned:

1. My stomach is finally flat! Well, the stomach organ is, not my belly. Among the visual aids was a diagram that showed how all the vital organs in the torso are rearranged and compressed to make room for the growing baby, and up at the top, flat as a pancake was the stomach. It definitely explains the 24-hour acid reflux.

2. Every woman at some point in her labor, says she can't do it any longer. It doesn't seem to matter who you are, a first time mother or a labor and delivery nurse having her third child, everyone gets pushed to their breaking point and tries (uselessly) to throw in the towel. The "scary movie" showed 3 births with 3 different pain management approaches, and every woman announced she couldn't do it anymore. I've only watched 2 episodes of Baby Story on DHC, and I noticed the same thing there. It's kind of scary to think I'll be brought to the brink of giving up.

3. Prenatal yoga is awesome. All of the breathing exercises and laboring positions were similar in some way to what I have already been doing since April in yoga class. So, everything felt very comfortable and second-nature, even though taken out of context, it can look pretty silly. When the instructor told us to get down on all fours, most of the women in the class thought she was nuts, but I was quick to comply. From yoga, I already knew that the position takes the weight of the baby off your spine and enables you to stretch and release tension in your back easily...it just feels good. Even better was the fact that Tony is familiar with some of the yoga positions and breathing techniques, and he immediately recognized that the yoga was going to be a big help for us.

4. I'm damn lucky. The most disappointing part of class was the presence of a few fathers who made it clear they did not want to be there and have no interest at all in the pregnancy or labor and delivery. One complained about how much the class was costing him, and another refused to participate. We had the misfortune of sitting near 2 of them. Macho, ignorant, sad excuses for men, they were annoying and obnoxious, and while I felt bad for their wives, I feel even worse for their future kids. One can only hope that once they are presented with the miracle of birth before their eyes, that their hearts will grow much like the Grinch's did in that happy ending.

baby boom

Two of my fellow belly buddies had their babies this week. Elaine's baby girl Nina was born a little over 2 weeks early on Saturday, August 30th. She's 6 lbs. 2 oz., and 19 in. long. Nina's early arrival wasn't much of a surprise though because Elaine had shown signs of early labor a few weeks ago. It seemed like it could be any day.

The big surprise was on Friday when I learned that my friend Carolyn from yoga class had her son Jonah over a month early! Her due date was within a week of mine. Even more remarkable, Jonah weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz., also 19 in. long. I guess he was just ready.

Both moms and babies are doing really well and were home within 48 hours of delivery. The early arrivals have been a wake-up call for me. I realize I need to pace myself better, but at the same time, I should be prepared because it really could be anytime. However, I just have a hunch, that the Bean will come a few days after my due date, and will make me the last of the belly buddies to have their baby.

Carolyn gave me the following advice in her email:
"Keep your feet up and take it easy...you never know when your little one will decide it's time and then there's no turning back."

musings

At the close of each yoga class, after the relaxation portion, there is a brief meditation. The teacher usually reads a short passage--prose or poetry--that's relative. It's not always specifically about pregnancy, but it's meaningful in some way. Certain readings have really struck a chord with me, and one of these is this poem.

When I heard the poem initially during the first yoga session, some of it seemed strange to me, but now, months later, I understand it better. I now understand the firmness is the unique feeling of the pregnant belly, and the softness of the rest of the body. The part I keep going back to is about not treating the pregnant as if they are disabled. I realize I have limitations, but I can carry my grocery bags, drive a car, work, cook, and clean. I recognize I need to pace myself as I tackle my day-to-day tasks, but I can do it, and I want to do it.

This is particularly difficult for other generations of women to comprehend. There was a time when a pregnant woman was entitled to a kind of pampering that does not appeal to me. I don't want to be put on a shelf for 9 months, my mind and body left to atrophy. The pampering that appeals to me are going to my yoga classes, wearing comfortable clothes, and spending time with Tony. I want to take an active role in my pregnancy, understand and accommodate my changing body, and not put my life on hold.