pregnancy, week-by-week – Page 3 – Keeping up with the Hoffmans

37 weeks – full term!

April 18, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. I’m really slacking on my updates. I meant to write this earlier, but then I thought I’d wait until my doctor appointment today, in hopes of having more to report. As of Sunday I was 37 weeks pregnant, AKA full term, meaning baby can come at any time. I would prefer to keep him baking until 39 weeks since there’s been a bunch of research showing that babies aren’t fully developed until then. But it’s still comforting to know that if he were born now that he wouldn’t need NICU time and the doctors likely wouldn’t do anything to stop labor. Home stretch.

At 37 weeks…

Baby is probably about as long as he’s going to be at birth and is just plumping up now. He’ll put on about a half a pound of chub every week from now until delivery. He is head down, VERY low and likes to cause me to walk like an old woman now. At my appointment today, the doctor guessed his weight is around 7 lbs., and thankfully said he wasn’t on track to be a 10 pounder like his dad! He is still moving quite a bit, and likes to stretch out frequently, making my belly contort into very odd shapes. Every once in a while he’ll flail about almost violently, reminding me of that scene from Christmas Vacation where Aunt Bethany wraps up her cat (below, at about the 1:47 mark).

Mama is really feeling it now. Weight gain for the week was a respectable .6 lbs. for a total gain now of 25 even. Funny, last week I was feeling surprisingly good. Now I’m just achy and crampy all the time. I’m getting a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions, with some downright painful contractions thrown in every once in a while too. After being told at my last doctor appointment that I was 1 centimeter dilated, I was feeling pretty optimistic that I wouldn’t go past my due date. In fact, the OB told me, “I don’t think you’ll go late.” I just had another appointment this afternoon and despite all my cramping and contracting, I have had no change since last week, and the OB today (a different OB), told me, “I don’t think you’ll go early.” So which is it? Sure, all along I’ve wanted baby to come on time, but I know that’s not a realistic expectation either (less than 5% of babies are born on their due dates), which just leaves me with a lot of ambiguity still. Giving up control is really hard for someone like me, and I hate that I can’t really make plans with anyone right now or even plan out what projects I take on at work. I’m simultaneously feeling the pressure to get things done, while also feeling like I’ll be pregnant forever at this point. I have dreams almost every night about my water breaking and/or going into labor, only to wake up dry and labor-free.

If I’m honest, I’m feeling a little cranky today about the whole thing. I thought for sure after all the cramping and contracting I’ve been doing all week that I’d be more dilated by now. And even though I know dilation isn’t that reliable of an indicator of when I’ll go into labor, it still made me feel good knowing we were making progress. But with no progress this week, it worries me that I might not progress as fast as I’d like during labor.

As I’ve mentioned before, I had a LEEP procedure done about 10 years ago due to some pre-cancerous cells that were found during a routine PAP. One of the earlier concerns with the LEEP was that it had the potential to cause incompetent cervix, making me more susceptible to a second trimester loss. Because of that, I was closely monitored at each doctor appointment, and thankfully, my cervix has held up this entire pregnancy. Unfortunately, one of the other possible complications of a LEEP (and the more common one, according to my doctor), is that it can cause some scar tissue within the cervix, causing it to not dilate easily. So I could end up having painful contractions without making progress once I go into labor. My doctor said if that were to happen, they’d actually make a small cut on my cervix to essentially release the scar tissue so that I can continue to dilate. She said it would hurt, but only takes a few seconds. Great. Not that I expected labor to be all fun and games, but I’m a little worried about the pain and frustration of failing to progress and the idea of being cut in order to do so. Let’s just hope that turns out not to be an issue.

Photo taken yesterday at 37 weeks, 3 days. I look about as tired as I feel!

health & body, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

36 weeks.

April 9, 2013April 9, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

Less than one month to go (in theory, anyway) — eek! And only 5 days until I’m full term. I think it’s safe to say nesting is in full effect. I’ve been driving D crazy with my honey-do list, and most things I end up just doing myself when I get tired of nagging him. His attitude is definitely a lot more relaxed than mine and he keeps reminding me we’ve still got a month left. This, of course, drives me crazy, since there’s no guarantee that I’ll make it to my due date. Of course, his argument is that I have just as much of a chance of going late as early, which is probably true, but I would still rather be prepared now. So, here’s what’s on my list of to-do’s (including some I’ve checked off already this week, because the list-maker in me gets so much satisfaction in crossing things off my list that I like to include stuff I’ve already done. What, is that weird?)

Install car seat bases in both cars (partially checked off – done in one car).
Attach changing pad to dresser in nursery.
Buy a new barrier/net for our SUV’s cargo area (keep dogs out of baby’s face during car rides!)
~~Have spare keys made.~~
Give keys to people who could help with our dogs while we’re in the hospital (partially crossed off – we’ve given out one set of keys).
~~Buy more hangers for baby clothes (this kid has an enormous wardrobe!)~~
~~Buy letters for baby’s name above the crib~~.
~~Buy necessities that we didn’t get from our baby showers~~.
~~Buy a stroller~~.
~~Buy a baby monitor~~
Buy a deep freezer for garage (want extra freezer space for pumped milk and freezer meals).
Make and freeze a bunch of quick meals to throw in the crock pot once baby gets here and we don’t feel like cooking (about halfway done with these).
Meet with a lawyer to write up wills.
Update life insurance policies.
~~Take dogs to the vet for a checkup and update on their shots.~~
~~Wash and put away baby clothes, sheets and blankets~~.
~~Pack hospital bag~~.
~~Get organized at work so I can hand stuff off at a moment’s notice~~.
Bring a spare pair of pants, towel and a garbage bag to work in case my water breaks there (yikes!).
~~Talk to HR about logistics and paperwork needed for maternity leave.~~
Frame or mount maternity pictures.

It’s funny, I started drafting this post a few days ago and by the time I came back here to finish writing, I had already checked off about 5 more things. I’m also going on a frantic cleaning spree, which I’m sure D loves, since I’m usually not the tidiest person. Today I washed all the blankets, rugs, floor mats, dog beds, etc. in our house and Febreezed everything that couldn’t be thrown in the wash. I don’t know if our dogs are getting smellier or if it’s just my crazy prego nose, but all I can smell lately are dogs, even though they’ve both recently been bathed.

Okay, crazy nesting aside, here’s what’s happening with baby and me at 36 weeks…

Baby is moving like crazy still, and kicked me hard enough in the ribs last week to make me wonder if he could have broken them. Thankfully the pain went away after a couple days, so I was probably just bruised. Strong boy. He should be around six-ish pounds now, but babies vary so much at birth weight that it’s really anyone’s guess at this point. If he were born now he’d probably do just fine, though it’s best to keep him baking a few weeks longer for optimal health. Premature babies often have trouble breastfeeding, which is something that’s really important to me. He should be shedding most of the hair that once covered his body, as well as the vernix caseosa that protected his skin from the amniotic fluid. Thankfully, the OB today confirmed that he is still head-down and already very low, so all systems are a go so far!

Mama is 1 centimeter dilated – woohoo! I got a cervical check at my appointment this morning and was told that I’m at one centimeter and beginning to efface (though she didn’t say by how much and I forgot to ask). I know the dilation and effacement don’t really mean much at this stage — as I said last week, women can walk around dilated for quite some time, or go from zero to 10 rather quickly — but if nothing else, that’s at least one less centimeter that I have to dilate in labor, right? One down, nine to go. 🙂 Other than that, I’m feeling pretty good during the day, but super uncomfortable at night. I don’t sleep much at all these days and I’m getting up to pee every hour or two. Movements such as rolling over or sitting up are downright painful. But it’s weird – for as horrible as I feel at night, I wake up in the morning and as soon as the hot shower hits my back, all the achiness goes away.

It still doesn’t quite feel real. In the elevator at the hospital this morning, some woman told me I looked like I was ready to have a baby “any day now.” I told her I still had four weeks to go, but it is kind of funny to hear comments from strangers like that because I don’t really feel *that* big. Then again, maybe I’m just delusional and/or getting used to my larger self. Gained .4 lbs this week for a total gain now of 24.4 lbs. I’ve started letting myself indulge a bit more in cravings than normal since I’ve done pretty well with my weight so far. Not that I want to have to lose a lot afterward, but if 25-35 lbs is considered ideal weight gain, that means I’m allowed to gain 11 more lbs in the next 4 weeks… right??? 😉 Bring on the chocolate!

health & body, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

35 weeks.

April 1, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

As of yesterday, I hit what’s known as 35/35. That is, 35 weeks pregnant with 35 days to go. WOW! Just a little over a month until our due date and only two weeks until I’m considered full-term. Realistically, baby could come anytime between now and May 19 (doctor will let me go 2 weeks past my due date before inducing). It’s such a weird feeling to have so little control over the timing of something so important, especially for a planner like me.

I had my second (and final) baby shower on Saturday, which was SO much fun. It was great to spend time with friends and we got a lot of things we really needed, as well as a lot of clothes. Pretty sure we won’t have to buy any clothes for our little man for the entire first year of his life. We also got a couple gift cards, and so yesterday I went on Amazon and ordered almost everything else we need. All that’s left to buy are the stroller and the baby monitor. I’m trying to wrap up as much as I can at work and am also staying really organized so I can hand everything off to my coworkers at a moment’s notice with a few emails. All in all, I think we’re almost ready for the little dude.

Here’s what’s happening at 35 weeks…

Baby is about 6 lbs. and 20 inches long at this point, and can expect to put on about an ounce of fat per day between now and his birthday. Most of his systems are fully developed at this point, including kidney and liver. His digestive system still needs some work, though, and won’t be mature until sometime after birth. He’s still moving around quite a bit and seems to favor sticking his feet up into the right side of my ribs. He also frequently punches or head butts me in the bladder, and I’m finding myself having to pee even more than before (I didn’t think that was humanly possible)!

Mama is large and uncomfortable and I’m even starting to outgrow some of my maternity clothes! I guess that’s what happens when you buy stuff early on. I’m finding that some of the items I had that were on the big side in the beginning fit really well now. And the panel of what used to be one of my favorite pairs of maternity jeans only comes about halfway up my belly, which is both uncomfortable and makes for a weird seam under clothing. I’ve started actually folding down the panel, as it’s both more comfortable and gives my belly a nicer shape, but then I have to deal with the outie belly button, which makes me feel really indecent… like I’m walking around with a giant nipple sticking out or something! I’ve put on 2.4 lbs this week for a total weight gain now of 24 lbs. Next appointment is April 9, after which point I’ll go in weekly until I deliver. The nurse practitioner told me at my last appointment that they may start doing cervical checks at my next appointment, which, oddly, I’m looking forward to. I know it means almost nothing at this stage of the game — women can walk around dilated for weeks and have nothing happen, and can also dilate quickly with no warning — but I still like to have as much information as possible. We’ll go tour the hospital this coming Sunday, which I’m also looking forward to. Can’t believe how close to the end we are!

friends & family, health & body, loss, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

33/34 weeks (and maternity photos!)

March 25, 2013March 25, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

Buckle down… this is sure to be a long post! I’ve been slacking on my weekly updates, so I’m going to combine my 33 and 34 week updates. We also got maternity photos taken, and there’s just been a lot going on in general these last couple weeks.

First off, exciting news – we found out my brother and his wife are expecting a baby in November! It’s still early and they aren’t telling many people yet, but I figure it’s okay to write about it here since anyone who reads this blog either already knows, or doesn’t even know my brother and his wife. I’m very excited for them, and I absolutely love the idea of having cousins just six months apart. Not to mention, they live about 5 minutes away from us and we see each other quite often, so it will be fun to get together for playdates and will also be convenient for exchanging babysitting duties.

I will admit, though, that hearing their news dredged up a lot of old feelings, too. When they told us the news, they were only 7 weeks along and hadn’t even had their first doctor appointment yet. I’m always scared for people whenever someone announces a pregnancy early, and the fact that they’re right at the point where we lost our first baby just hits really close to home. Of course, I want nothing more than to be excited for them, but a big part of me is so reserved in that excitement since miscarriage is so common (1 in 3-4) and I know firsthand just how hard it is. D mentioned to me the other day that he too always gets nervous for people when they announce their pregnancies early. We’ve actually had a few friends recently who have announced to us sooner than the standard 12 weeks, and while we’re always nothing but smiles and excitement for them on the outside, deep down we’re both thinking, gee, I hope it works out. It’s just amazing how much your perspective changes when you’re been on the wrong end of a statistic before. I always knew I’d never again have a naive, carefree pregnancy, but I’ve been surprised at just how much our loss has impacted my ability to get excited over other peoples’ pregnancies too. Anyway, not to get all doom-and-gloom. I really am so excited for my brother and his wife, but I think I will be able to breathe a little easier once they’ve actually had an ultrasound and cleared the first trimester.

With that out of the way, here’s what’s happening with baby and me these last couple weeks…

Baby is now almost 5 lbs! Holy moly. That’s almost the size of a “real” baby. He is continuing to put on more fat and is just … everywhere these days. I can feel him kick my ribs, punch my bladder and tickle my sides, all at the same time. Sometimes I swear I’m gestating an octopus and not a human because I can’t even keep track of which appendage is where, although my doctor did confirm at my last appointment that he is head down, so that at least gives me some frame of what’s where (though he still can technically flip at this point, so I’m told not to put too much stock into where his position was at last appointment). Also happening this week is continued maturation of his central nervous system and lungs, which are getting him ready for life on the outside. Hard to believe I’ll be holding him in my arms in around 6(ish) weeks. Also really hard to let go of any control I have on the timing of his arrival! Could be much sooner or up to two weeks later than his scheduled appearance. As someone who’s always been a huge planner, this is really hard for me to accept. To prepare for worst case scenario, I’ve been frantically checking things off my to-do list in preparation for a possible early arrival (am I nesting, perhaps?). I have my hospital bag mostly packed (minus some stuff we still need to buy if we don’t get them from our baby shower this weekend), I’ve washed all the baby’s sheets, blankets and clothes, and I’m going to get keys made this week to give to a couple people who could watch our dogs if we were to go into labor. Still hoping baby is punctual and arrives at least close to his due date, but at the very least I hope he doesn’t come this week, as D is in Arizona and I have my baby shower on Saturday! I was able to capture a cool video earlier this week of baby in action. He is quite the active boy, and I have a feeling we may have our hands full with this little guy!

Mama is feeling larger than ever. At my last appointment I was measuring two weeks “ahead” — which doesn’t really mean anything besides the fact that my belly is 2 cm larger than it “should” be at this point. The doctor said that really anything within 3 cm in either direction is normal, though. Your fundal height typically correlates in centimeters to the number of weeks you are, so at 32 weeks, my belly should have been 32 cm and it was 34. But large belly aside, I’m still doing pretty well on my weight gain. I gained 1.4 lbs between weeks 32 and 33, and then actually lost a pound between weeks 33 and 34. Total weight gain is currently at 21.6. If I keep up my pound-per-week average, I can expect to have gained around 28 lbs when all is said and done, and 25-35 is the recommended amount, so I’m happy with that. I’m not looking forward to a crazy flabby postpartum body, but hopefully the weight comes off quickly. I’m thinking this summer may call for a one-piece bathing suit and a lot of maxi dresses, though! My back is still achy with occasional sciatic pain, and despite having had two prenatal massages now, it doesn’t seem to be going away. I got some more spa gift cards from my parents and my in-laws for my birthday, so I will try to squeeze in a couple more massages before baby gets here, anyway. Even if they don’t eliminate the back pain, it sure feels nice to get pampered!

Oh, and in other exciting news, I think we’ve finally decided on a name. It was actually a name that I originally loved but D didn’t really like that much. He’s been warming up to it though, and last week he told me there’s nothing out there he likes any better, so he agreed to go with that name and then surprised me by saying he actually had strong feelings about which middle name he wanted to go with. So with a first name that I love and a middle name that he wants, I think we’re actually set! We won’t be sharing until he’s here, and I told D I’m still open to changing it between now and the birth if he finds himself suddenly inspired by a different name, but it feels really good to have that checked off the list.

To wrap up this already long post, here are some maternity photos from last weekend. I’m really happy with how they turned out, and I’m thinking of printing a few to frame in the house, including putting one of the close-up belly shots in the nursery and the one with the dogs somewhere prominently in our house too.

friends & family, health & body, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

32 weeks.

March 11, 2013March 11, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

32 weeks down, 8 more to go. But who’s counting?

Earlier this week, I ordered some ridiculously cute cloth diapers from Zulily. I am really hoping to be able to make cloth diapers work for us. From people I’ve talked to, it doesn’t seem to be that much harder than using disposables, but since D is still apprehensive about it, I know his tolerance for any troubleshooting or inconvenience is going to be a lot lower than mine. But look how cute these are! I couldn’t resist.

On Thursday we went to a meet and greet at the pediatrician’s office we’re considering. I’m glad we went, even if it wasn’t the most informative thing ever. It was good to see the offices, meet a couple of the doctors and hear about their policies and procedures. Inevitably, in a group setting like that, though, there is always one person who asks all the dumb questions. Actually, I think there were about three of “those people” in this group. One guy seriously couldn’t understand what to do if your kid gets sick after hours. For the record, the procedure is to call the office and get transferred to the on-call doctor, who will tell you whether you need to be seen now (i.e., go to urgent care or the ER), or be seen when the office opens up again. Seemed pretty straightforward to us (besides, isn’t that how pretty much all doctor’s offices operate?), but apparently this warranted several more follow-up questions from this guy on how an on-call system works. (::facepalm::)

On Friday night we went up to the lake cabin with some friends, and that was fun, although everyone else had a lot to drink (as often happens at the cabin!) and let’s just say sleeping in a smaller bed than we’re used to (full size versus king), when uncomfortable and pregnant and dealing with a drunk, snoring bed hog was not fun! At one point I tried to get D to roll over to give me some room, but he was out to the world. I even tried to roll him myself, but he was completely dead weight. So I had to push with all my strength and I ended up rolling him off the bed altogether. He was pretty mad at the time for the rude awakening, but we all got a good laugh about it the next morning and at least I got some space so I could actually sleep! It ended up being a really nice day on Saturday, and the lake was just gorgeous. Really looking forward to having our little one grow up with memories of the lake cabin like I did. Crazy to think that the next time we get up there, he might be here!

On Sunday I volunteered at the Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show and that was fun. I got to see some of the gals from the rescue group that I hadn’t seen in a while. I did notice that being on my feet completely wiped me out, though, and when I got home in the early afternoon, I fell asleep on the couch and didn’t move from until around 7 p.m.!

Okay, long intro aside, here’s what’s going on with baby and me this week…

Baby is now somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 lbs and between 16 and 19 inches inches long, depending on which book/website you’re reading. Seeing as babies can vary greatly at their birth weight/length, I’m starting to think this growth range is only going to get even more ambiguous as we reach the end. Suffice to day, he’s getting big and running out of room! I’m still feeling “feet” in my ribs, and “elbows” in my hip bone simultaneously (though that’s just my best guess as to which end is jabbing me), so I know he’s taking up a lot of room in there. He also likes to stretch every now and then, which is the weirdest feeling and kind of uncomfortable, as it feels like I’m about to burst from the inside out. I think I felt him hiccuping yesterday for the first time too. I’ve heard a lot of women talk about baby hiccups, but until yesterday I don’t think I’ve been able to feel them. But yesterday I felt little rhythmic taps that came every few seconds and lasted several minutes, so I think they were hiccups. Big milestone this week is the development of his own immune system.

Mama is large and in charge. I’m up 2 lbs this week for a total gain now of 21.2 lbs. Ideally I’d like to keep my weight gain closer to one pound per week instead of two, and I know I have only myself to blame for this week. I can’t seem to lay off the sweets! My sweet tooth has been seriously out of control lately, it’s ridiculous. I used to sort of roll my eyes at pregnancy cravings, thinking women use it as an excuse (and I’m sure many do), but I can see now that sometimes you just really HAVE to have something… and now! Heartburn seems to be getting worse lately, and I’ve had the worst restless legs too. Sciatic pain has mostly gone away, thank goodness, though my back still feels really achy when I’ve been sitting or laying for a while. I feel like an old lady when I get up. This morning I felt absolutely nauseous on the bus, and it has come back off and on a few times today. Hopefully this isn’t the return of morning sickness.

This week should be pretty busy for us on the baby front. We have a doctor appointment on Thursday, our birth class on Saturday, and then we’re getting maternity pictures taken on Sunday (weather permitting!). Looking forward to having something besides these iPhone selfies to show for this pregnancy!

health & body, musings, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

31 weeks.

March 5, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

Another week down, 9 more to go. Here’s what’s going on at 31 weeks…

Baby is somewhere between 16 and 19 inches long and weighs about 3.3 lbs. The books and websites say he is heading into a growth spurt very soon, though I wonder if maybe he’s already there. He was moving a ton for a while and less so over the last few days. I definitely still feel him, but the movements are smaller and I wonder if maybe he’s getting a little cramped in there. I try not to worry about the decreased movement since everything I’ve read says it’s normal toward the end as they run out of space. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t worry just a little bit. I guess that’s part of the “PGAL brain.” There’s always a little bit of worry in the back of my mind that something might go wrong.

They say he is likely in the head down position by now, and I think it feels like he is too, but it’s hard to tell. I have felt what feels like a foot lodged up in the right side of my ribcage for several days now (though it could be a hand), and I often feel a large mound roll from side to side up toward the top, which I think is his butt (though it could be his head). At my last checkup I asked the nurse practitioner if she could tell which direction he is facing and she said they probably wouldn’t check his position until closer to the end since he can still flip around and there’s no sense in causing any worry if he is in fact breech. Likewise, there’s really no sense of security if he is head down already. It simply doesn’t matter yet.

Mama is up 1.2 lbs this week for a total weight gain now of 19.2 lbs. Belly button is sticking out more and more every day, but still no stretch marks, thankfully.

On Sunday I had quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions, which worried me just a little bit. I typically get one or two a day and have been for several weeks now. My doctor said I don’t need to worry unless I’m having more than four per hour. Well, on Sunday, I had about 2 per hour for a good six hour span. It still wasn’t the four per hour that would be cause for worry, but that was a pretty significant change from my normal 1 or 2 per day! I drank a lot of water and they seemed to subside by the end of the day and things have been normal since. Weird.

This morning I caught sight of myself in a reflection of a window as I was walking to work and I think I’m starting to waddle a bit. Lovely. I’m definitely feeling very large. I’m also craving sweets like none other. Last night I was watching the Bachelor and I had the most overwhelming craving for something sweet and chocolatey. I’ve never had such a strong craving before — like, I HAD to have it and we had nothing in our house. I tried to convince D to run to the store and get me something (hello, I couldn’t leave the Bachelor!), but he was already in his sweats and said he didn’t want to go to the store. So I said he could drive through Dairy Queen and get me a blizzard and he wouldn’t have to get out of the car, but he still whined about it. I think I almost had him convinced when he suggested I just make myself some hot cocoa. I had forgotten we had some, and that seemed to satiate the craving. So no need to send him out to get me a blizzard at 9 p.m. but I was thisclose to becoming a major pregnancy cliche. I did leave work this afternoon to run out and get some Cadbury Mini Eggs. Those are my weakness even non-pregnant, and I have been munching on those all afternoon at my desk!

friends & family, health & body, musings, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

30 weeks.

February 25, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

Can’t believe I’m in the home stretch. I don’t know why, but it feels like a big deal going from 29 weeks to 30 weeks. Maybe that’s because you often hear about babies born at 30something weeks. Obviously we want to keep him baking until as close to 40 as possible, but it wouldn’t be abnormal for him to come around 37 or 38 weeks, either. We’re in the 30s, folks. Just crazy to think about.

My parents came over on Saturday evening — their last night in town before they started their move to Texas Sunday morning. It was nice to spend the evening with them and to see them off, but sad to see them go. They’ll be back a couple weeks after the baby is born, though, which will be nice, and then I think we’re going to try to make it down there for Thanksgiving this year (baby’s first plane trip – yikes!). Thankfully they’ll only be in Texas for two years and then my dad will retire and they’ll move up here again permanently.

Had a nice walk around Greenlake yesterday with my friend Molly, whom I used to work with. She is due in just three days! They are also having a boy. It’s fun to be able to talk about pregnancy stuff with other people who are going through it. After I got home, I parked myself in front of the TV and ended up falling asleep for several hours! I almost never nap on the couch (I’m one of those picky sleepers who can only fall asleep in my own bed), but the long walk and the cold air must have really taken it out of me. I’m definitely feeling myself slowing down. I woke up a few hours later and watched the Oscar red carpet coverage, and then D got home from snowboarding and we watched the Oscars. It was overall a pretty lazy Sunday, which was nice.

Okay, here’s what’s going on at 30 weeks…

Baby is about 16-18 inches long and weighs about 3 lbs. He should be surrounded by approximately a pint and a half of amniotic fluid, though that amount will peak soon before it slowly starts decreasing as he gets bigger and takes up more room. Brain activity is picking up speed this week, and his eyesight is developing more, even though he can’t really see anything from his current point of view! I learned today that babies are born with about 20/400 eyesight, which means they can’t see much beyond a few inches from their face.

Mama is feeling large. As you can see below, I snapped a picture last week wearing the same outfit I wore in my 18 week photo. The scary thing is, I remember feeling large at 18 weeks, and looking back on that photo makes me miss my old body. Look how small I was! This distorted perspective actually makes me very scared of how big I’ll be in another 10 weeks! Will I be looking back at my 30 week photo thinking I was small?! Yikes! The sciatic pain seems to have diminished for the most part (knock on wood), though I did notice it came back on Saturday after vacuuming the house. Gained 1 lb. this week for a total now of 18 lbs. Still no stretch marks, but stomach muscles are still very achy, especially after I eat. On Saturday evening I sneezed and felt like I actually pulled a muscle in my side. Super painful. I think I’m just out of room. Hopefully my muscles loosen up at some point and allow me to stretch some more, since clearly I am going to get quite a bit bigger in the next 10 weeks!

health & body, house, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

29 weeks.

February 19, 2013February 20, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

29 weeks down, 11 weeks to go…

Baby is about 2 1/2 pounds and over 15 inches long now. Muscles and lungs are continuing to form, and he is putting on more fat. That translates into more energy, which I am definitely feeling. Not only is he kicking up a storm, but I also feel him flop around and stretch now too, which is a really strange feeling and a tad uncomfortable. I also felt my first foot (or hand?) all the way up in my ribs at my doctor appointment on Friday. That was a strange feeling. I pushed back on him and he moved out of the way. But he’s done it a few more times since then. I guess I should get used to it.

Mama is feeling large and uncomfortable. Did I mention I still have 11 weeks to go? I can’t imagine how much bigger and more uncomfortable I’m going to get. I’m up 2 lbs this week for a total weight gain now of 17 lbs. My belly button is officially an outie. My stomach muscles are feeling really stretched, as I mentioned last week. I just feel really achy. I had a prenatal massage on Sunday, which was heavenly. I’m definitely going to book a couple more before baby gets here. I still have sciatic pain, so it didn’t magically erase that, but it felt great anyway, and maybe the sciatic pain is something that would get better after a couple more sessions?

I had my glucose tolerance test on Friday, which wasn’t nearly as bad as I had heard it would be. I felt a little sleepy afterward and had a tiny bit of a headache, but it was honestly nothing I would have even noticed if I hadn’t been expecting to feel awful. And the great news is, I passed! No gestational diabetes for me!

In other news, I finished the nursery! I’m really happy with how it turned out. Now all we need is a name above the crib (which would actually require deciding on a name… ugh.)

friends & family, health & body, house, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

28 weeks.

February 12, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

We had our first baby shower on Sunday, which was a lot of fun. It was for family, and we had about 15 people at my house. We got a lot of really great stuff, including our crib and mattress from my parents, and our car seat from D’s dad and step mom. Feels nice to have some of the big ticket items checked off our list. We also got a lot of diapers, including six cloth diapers, so we are on our way to building up our cloth diaper supply! I really want to do cloth diapers for when we’re at home, at least. Our daycare will only take disposables, but the preschool/daycare we’re going to transfer him to once he reaches a year of age will take cloth diapers, so then we can be in them full time. Better for the environment, more cost-effective in the long-run (though pricey to build up your stash initially) – and plus, look how cute?! It really was a fun day and I know my mom put a lot of work into throwing the shower. That was probably the last time we’ll see my parents until after the baby’s born, so it was sad to see them leave at the end of the day.

Okay, here’s what’s happening with baby and me at 28 weeks…

Baby is now about 2.5 lbs and 16 inches long – or as one pregnancy blog puts it: about the size of a chihuahua. Crazy to think he still needs to gain about 4-6 lbs. Where is he going to fit?

Mama is stuffed to the max (side note, did you know the slang for pregnant in England is “stuffed?”). Still no stretch marks, thankfully, but my ab muscles ache every time I eat. I’m clearly running out of room for baby and all my organs, so adding any volume in the way of food just makes my body ache. Does that mean I eat less? Nah. I just complain about it more after I do. Weight gain for the week is .4 lbs. for a total now of 15 lbs. even. I know I’m doing well with my weight gain, but I still feel huge. I also think it’s starting to show in my face now, after seeing pictures from my baby shower. 😦

Sciatic pain is still there, but possibly less now than it was. I think the combination of sitting on an exercise ball at work and sleeping on a new mattress have helped things some. I was supposed to get a massage on Sunday morning, but that didn’t happen. I went through the entire process of checking into the spa, changing into my robe, and was sitting in the little waiting area feeling all zen like, when the receptionist came back to me and said she was sorry but my massage therapist just called and had a family emergency and wouldn’t be coming in today. Unfortunately, they had no one else that does prenatal massages, so they would have to reschedule. Uh… glad they told me this after I was already in my freaking robe?? They were super apologetic and said that they’d comp my massage and even upgrade me to a 90 minute, but still… I was really looking forward to that massage on Sunday! Super disappointing. So now they are trying to figure out when to get me in, since apparently that particular massage therapist won’t be working for them anymore. “Family emergency,” huh?

Speaking of family emergencies, I also got a call from my doctor’s office yesterday that my OB had a family emergency and won’t be back at work until April! I’m guessing this is a real emergency and I’m sad for her, as I can only imagine what sort of event would cause someone to take a whole two months off. 😦 So I’ll see either her nurse practitioner or another doctor in the practice for my next 4 appointments. This actually isn’t all bad, since I’ll be delivered by whoever is on call anyway, so it’s probably good that I meet some other doctors in her practice. I am a bit sad, though, as I really liked that doctor and I feel bad for whatever she must be going through right now. At least my pregnancy is going smoothly and I’m not too worried about anything in particular, otherwise I think I’d be freaking out right about now. And she should be back for my final month of pregnancy.

That’s about all that’s going on at the moment! Here’s a picture of D and me before the baby shower on Sunday, at exactly 28 weeks, in front of our new crib! Also a sneak peek at the nursery, which I am still planning to write a post on one of these days. I still need to make a crib skirt and get a rug to tie the room together, and then we should be pretty much done!

dreams, friends & family, health & body, loss, pregnancy, pregnancy, week-by-week

27 weeks.

February 4, 2013 Keeping up with the Hoffmans

A couple nights ago I had a dream that I went in for my 28 week appointment and our baby no longer had a heartbeat. It was devastating, to have to relive our loss all over again, only this time having to break the news to everyone. In my dream, I was in some sort of a school, and in each classroom were people from different areas of my life (family, college friends, people from work, etc.), and I remember just being numb as I had to go to each room and announce that we were no longer pregnant (in my dream, I had already had a D&C again by the time I told everyone, which is odd, since if I were to lose this baby now, I’d actually have to give birth this late in the game). In my dream, dealing with everyone else’s grief was one of the worst parts about the whole experience. Everyone cried and demanded to know why it had happened, and I had no answers. All I wanted to do was run away from everyone so I could actually address my own grief without feeling like I had to take care of everyone else’s feelings. I woke up and had that weird half-still-in-my-dream moment where I wasn’t sure if it had all been real or a dream. I felt the baby move, realized it had all been a dream, and then I just started sobbing. Even after I was fully awake and well-aware it wasn’t real, I just couldn’t stop crying.

On a lighter note, I had a very productive weekend working on the nursery. I bought some pegboard and painted it with a chevron pattern and hung that above the changing table, and I finished the crib mobile I started a few weeks ago. I also painted a canvas to hang on the wall with some song lyrics I love and started a few other DIY things that I’ll give an update on later. I was feeling super crafty and productive this weekend. Pretty much all we need now is a crib and a rug (and a baby, of course!). I know I keep saying this, but one of these days I am going to get around to doing a post on the nursery decor. I really am happy about how it’s coming together!

Okay, so here’s what’s happening with baby and me at 27 weeks…

Baby is about 2 lbs. and 15 inches long now. That’s almost as long as a full-term baby – now he just needs to beef up! His eyelids can now open and close (they had been fused shut since about 11 or 12 weeks), and he has all five senses developed. I’ve even read he can start developing preferences on taste, as my amniotic fluid (which he is constantly swallowing) will taste different depending on what I eat that day. Baby is is kicking up a storm and I’m still loving it. I read that now is when kicks can start getting painful, but so far they aren’t (knock on wood), though I wouln’t say they’re subtle anymore either! I wonder how much the non-painful kicking has to do with my anterior placenta. Next appointment is Friday the 15th, where I’ll take my Gestational Diabetes test. Let’s hope all the sweets I’ve been craving (and giving into) lately haven’t sent me into a diabetic state!

Mama is officially in the third trimester now! Crazy how fast time seems to be moving. The first trimester dragged on forever, but the second feels like it just flew by, and suddenly I am in the third. Wow! Countdown to baby is now just 90 days. And we still don’t have a name, thanks to D’s indecisiveness. I actually have one that I love but D didn’t initially like. We came up with about 5 others that we would both be okay with, but every time I try to talk to D about which ones I like more than others, hoping to narrow it down further, he freezes up and says he can’t make a decision, and that none of them really feel like “the one” to him. Though he did say that the one I liked most (that he initially wasn’t crazy about) might have “a slight advantage over the others” since I like it so much. I’m trying not to push him too hard to go with that name since he originally didn’t like it, but secretly I’m hoping it continues to grow on him. But honestly, I’d really be okay with any of the names we’ve narrowed it down to. I am just ready to make a decision already – or at least feel like we’re moving towards a decision. At this rate, we’ll be deciding in the hospital. Oh well — at least this way I can easily skirt the name question since we honestly don’t know. We don’t plan on sharing with anyone until after he’s here, anyway.

I’m still dealing with some pretty bad sciatic pain. Honestly, that has been my only major complaint this pregnancy. I haven’t gained too much weight (1.4 lbs this week for a total so far of 14.6 lbs.), I still have quite a bit of energy, no swelling, no stretch marks. Really, if it weren’t for this darn sciatic pain and a large belly, I’d hardly even notice that I was pregnant. I started sitting on an exercise ball at work last week, and I think that’s helping some. I’ve also booked a prenatal massage for this weekend, so hopefully that helps too. Speaking of the large belly, I’m starting to get more and more comments from strangers asking when I’m due, which for some reason always catches me off-guard. I’m still not used to the idea that other people can tell I’m pregnant, for some reason. I guess it’s because depending on the outfit, I still feel like I just look like I’ve had too many hamburgers. Plus, I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve had to stand on the bus without anyone offering me their seat, so I do think that with my coat on, sometimes you can’t tell. Either that or people are just selfish. Although, I did notice last week that one of my jackets only covers about half of my belly. 😐 I guess I just never look at myself in the mirror after I put my coat on in the mornings, but last week I stopped in the bathroom at work before dropping my stuff off in my office, and realized it may be time to retire this particular jacket, even if I can still zip it. Not the most flattering look!