2nd Birthing Class

Jason & I went to our 2nd birthing class last night. Last night was overall pretty interesting to me. The instructor talked about what happens once you get to the hospital, like what machines they hook you up to to monitor the baby and me. She talked about inductions and methods to get the baby out if the mom is having trouble. These include the vacuum and forceps. These things are creepy to me. She passed both of these around the room last night. Those forcep things really freak me out. They are heavy & cold & and they look like something you'd toss a salad with. Hopefully I won't have experience with either of those. We also talked about anesthesia. This is the part I was most interested in. We watched a video on epidurals & how they administer it, one of the ladies in the video gave birth without it, the other decided to get an epi. They both felt they had made the right decision for themselves. I am definitely getting an epi!! The needle in my back part doesn't really bother me if it helps relieve pain. Ahh, the joys of childbirth.

26 Weeks!!

According to "What to expect" this week, baby is about 9 inches long & weighs about 2 lbs. At the rate he/she is growing, the baby will soon be feeling a little cramped in the uterus. There is still plenty of room for baby to grow. It just means less room for those somersaults & cartwheels.

The baby's eyes--which have been closed for the past few months (so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop)--are now beginning to open. Baby is able to see what's going on now (although the view in the uterus isn't all that exciting). There is a trick if you shine a flashlight at your stomach that the baby might kick in response (I'll have to try this.) The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation (that'll fill in over the next month or so). So it's too early to start guessing baby's eye color. Even the color baby will be born with might not be the permanent shade; so we may be kept guessing til baby is close to 6 months old.

Baby's brain-wave activity is kicking in at this stage in fetal development, which means the little one can not only hear noise, but can now also respond to them, usually with an increase in pulse rate or activity.

I'd also like to mention that I now only have 98 days to go til I'm due!! YIKES!!!! I'm excited & scared!!!!!

1st Birthing Class

Jason & I went to our 1st birthing class last night. There are 5 other couples in the class besides us. We went around the room and introduced ourselves, said what our due date is, if we're having a boy or a girl, what we expect to gain from the class and a hobby we like. 3 couples are having girls, one couple is having a boy and 2 couples (including us) are having surprise babies! Last nite, we went over the the stages of labor, watched a labor/birth video that was from the 1980's (those birthing videos are always an eye opener!) & did some relaxation techniques. I think we'll get good information from this class. The book they gave us seems to go over a lot of things I didn't know. I like to have as much knowledge as I can so I know more of what to expect. The instructor is kinda boring, but I guess she just started teaching these classes so she's probably just getting a feeling for them. She's actually a labor/delivery nurse at St Luke's, so there is a chance she could be one of my nurses when I deliver.

The nursery

The nursery is painted!! Jason & I decided on a neutral tannish color. The real name is Riviera Sand. I really like it. I also got the baby bedding set, it's called Jungle Babies. It came with the comforter, crib sheet, bumper, dust ruffle, window valance & diaper stacker. I also bought the switch plate cover. It's really cute. We are also getting the whole upstairs re-carpeted this week. Can't wait because right now we are just walking around on carpet pad cuz Jason ripped the old carpet up. The other carpet looked terrible even after living there only 4 years. Guess that is what happens when you have a dog. The new carpet is still neutral but is darker in color. Hope it looks good!


As for me, I think I had a growth spurt last week or maybe the baby did. But I've added to my weight gain. My feet have been swollen a lot the past few days too. I officially have "cankles". Not a pretty sight!! I soaked them in a foot bath last nite and I really need to elevate them. I've been having trouble sleeping too. It's funny, you go from being exhaused in the 1st trimester to not being able to sleep now. The main reason I can't sleep is becuz the restless leg syndrome is acting up again. It's so uncomfortable. I will fall asleep at night & then wake up & I can't fall asleep again. So I end up going downstairs and reading for awhile and sleeping on the couch. This has kind of become a routine. Jason has joked with me that he feels like he is single again cuz I am never in bed when he wakes up.

25 Weeks!!!

According to "What to expect" this week, baby is about 9 inches long & more than a pound & a 1/2 in weight this week.
The baby's skin is turning pinker this week, not because he or she's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping the baby at an always comfy temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin & filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in the baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity & one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But those lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after the baby is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oyxgen to the bloodstream & release carbon dioxide when he/she exhales.
The lungs aren't the only system that's gearing up for air intake. The baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week. This actually allows our little one to begin taking practice breaths. (Of course, since there's no air in there, the baby is really only "breathing" amniotic fluid, but it's the practice that counts, right?)

Pregnancy Trivia

I found some more interesting facts about pregnancy. Thought I'd share them.

*Healthiest babies are born to women who gain at least 35 lbs during pregnancy. (National Academy of Sciences).

*The average pregnant women gains 22 lbs. She loses 13.5 lbs within an hr after delivery. Another 3.5 lbs is lost during the next 12 days & 6 weeks later she weighs 17.75 lbs less than she did at the start of labor. (22 lbs total seems low to me, I think I will definitely surpass that mark!! I've always heard the average gain is 25-35 lbs.)

*Children conceived during cool months average slightly higher on IQ tests than those conceived during warm months. (YAY, we have a chance of a smart kid!!)

*The saline content of amniotic fluid is the same as the oceans.

*The skin of an unborn baby, if cut by a surgical incision, heals without a scar.

*Unborn babies dream. (What about, I have no idea!!!)

*Expectant mothers who go thru morning sickness earlier on in pregnancy are less likely to give birth prematurely. ( I didn't have any sickness, so does that mean I'll give birth right on time??)

*A woman over age 40 is 128 percent more likely to bear a left handed child.

*A woman is more susceptible to sunburn during pregnancy than at other times. ( I'll vouch for this!!)

*Pregnant women who take vitamin B-6 don't suffer from morning sickness. (Never heard of this, so have no idea if it's true or not).

*Couples are more likely to expand their family if they have only girls.

Dr visit

You get a bonus post today! First off, Happy Happy Birthday to Janet (Jason's mom, my MIL)!!! Hope you have a great day!!
I had a Dr appt yesterday. Just my routine monthly check-up. Everything is still looking good. The baby's heartbeat was in the 150's yesterday. Next appt in October, I have the fun experience of being tested for gestational diabetes. I have to drink some super sweet drink & then get my blood drawn 1 hour later. Oh boy, can't wait for that one. :) I hope I pass!!! Not much else to report with me and baby. We're both good!

We will never forget

Today is the 7th anniversary of 9/11. Please take a moment today to remember all that were lost on that very fateful day. I'm sure none of you will forget where you were when you heard the news. I was working at Express Scripts as a customer service rep, I remember people calling in & telling me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I thought it was just an accident. I didn't even understand the magnitude of it til later on that day. It was very scary. In March 2007, I had the opportunity to go to NYC & visit Ground Zero. It was a very emotional experience & a feeling I will never forget. I remember I had tears in my eyes looking at some of the pictures, memorials and seeing all the names of those that had died. I found a poem I'd like to share with you.

The Healing of a Nation

It’s a beautiful New York Morning
People going their own way
Taxis are rollin’, police patrolin’
Just an average, ordinary day.
No one knew that in a moment
The disaster that would unfold
A plane was passing and then crashing
Into the towers out of control.
A city in complete turmoil
People fearing for their lives.
The buildings are collapsing, people gasping
Lots of loved ones met an untimely demise.
That dreadful day was 911
A date none would soon forget.
Terrorists are to blame, this is crazy, insane
And the worst isn’t over yet.
Digging through the rubble
Not knowing what they’d find.
Somebody’s mother, a friend, a brother
The coming together of mankind.
So every year on this day
Give those heroes a standing ovation.
Those who gave a hand had faith in their land
And started “the healing of a nation.”
— Sandra Morris

24 Weeks!!!

According to "What to expect" for this week, baby weighs more than a pound & a 1/2 right now & has a crown to rump length of about 8 1/2 inches (standard letter size).
Wondering what & who the baby will look like?? If you had a baby cam, you'd almost be able to tell by now. The face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin. Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones & blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this stage of fetal development are gaining about 6 ounces each week--with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones & muscle.
All kinds of sounds can be heard by the baby in the womb now: from air exhaling from my lungs, gastric gurgles produced by my stomach & intestines, my voice & Jason's (which baby will be able to recognize at birth) & even very loud sounds such as honking horns or barking dogs. NEAT!!!

We have a registry!!

Jason & I went to Babies R Us on Saturday to register for baby stuff. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. We finished in a little under 2 hrs. We went down every aisle with our scanner gun & lists & picked out what we wanted. (Thanks to Nikki for your very helpful list!!) Hopefully we got everything. If anyone has suggestions for what we might have missed, feel free to let us know. We had a minor disagreement over the diaper bag. I would have preferred something a bit more girly but Jason didn't want to carry something like that around if it was just him & the baby, so we settled on a black Columbia bag. It will prlly last longer anyway.
Also if you look at our registry, it has our Expected Arrival Date as 11/01/08. Obviously that is wrong becuz it's 12/31/08. When I filled out the paperwork at Babies R Us, it said "Event Date", so I thought that meant the date of the shower. I didn't know they meant the date baby is due. I didn't even know it meant that til we got home & I checked our registry online. Then I noticed they had our expected arrival date as 11/01/08. I've tried changing it but it won't work. They should have worded that better or maybe I'm just dumb. But anyway, we get a coupon for 10% off anything that is left on our registry & they mail that either 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after your due date. So maybe I'll just leave the 11/1/08 date in there and we'll get the coupon earlier!

Pregnancy Brain

So I went to my endocrinologist appt yesterday. I got on the elevator to go up to her office. I always forget what floor she is on (even though I've been there prlly 5 or 6 times), so I usually pick 2 floors & then when the doors open, I know if I'm on the correct floor. Well, yesterday the UPS dude gets on the elevator with me. He says "Are u going up?" I said, "Yes, but I forgot what floor I'm going to." He says, "Well, maybe I can help? What is your dr's name?" Well, I stood there for like 5 seconds trying to think of her name, finally I remembered her first name was Rachel & then finally remembered the 1st part of her last name cuz she's hyphenated. He said he didn't know her and went on his merry way. He prlly thought I was a total idiot. I hope he noticed I was pregnant. The bad part is I STILL couldn't think of the last part of my Dr's last name. I didn't remember til I saw it on her office door. Yikes. At least I remembered where the office was though, right? : ) NOTE TO SELF--LEARN WHAT FLOOR DR IS ON.

23 Weeks!

At 8 inches & slightly over 1 lb, the baby is the size & shape of a small doll. This week marks the beginning of some serious weight gain. Baby's weight in the next 4 weeks alone should double (& I'm sure mine will too!).
To this point, I've only heard the heartbeat through the doppler. But now you can hear it through a standard stethoscope.
Baby's skin is reddish in color now becuz of the developing blood vessels underneath (the skin is very thin still). It also hangs loosely from his or her little body at this point. That is becuz the skin grows faster than the fat develops during fetal growth. By the time it's born, it will be pleasantly plump & filled out.

A new 2nd cousin!

I'd like to congratulate my cousin, Heather. She gave birth to a son, Carsten James, on August 31st. He arrived at 11:35 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs, 4 ounces & measured 21 inches long. He's a cutie! My aunt said Heather & Carsten are doing exceptionally well. I can't wait to meet him in person! Congrats also to Grandpa Reiny and Grandma Shelle!!
As for me, last week I saw the baby kick on the outside of my stomach. I kept feeling kicking in the same place and I lifted up my shirt and my stomach moved. It's really neat! I also had my 1st dream that it was a girl. My other 2 dreams were that it was a boy. Hmm....maybe I'm starting to second guess that it is a boy after all. Still got 4 months to go til we know.