Ronald McDonald house

20w appt

Had my "every four weeks" appointment with Lisa yesterday. Wanted to talk about lifting heavy things and a bit about my weight/eating habits.

In regards to the lifting she says you don't want to strain any of your uterine ligaments and potentially have them burst. I was annoyed last week because I wanted to do some lifting, I was feeling good, and DH told me I wasn't allowed to. Gerr. This week I have been more cautious as I am feeling bigger and a bit more unwieldy. I'm sure it will only get worse, but I like the idea that I can feel what my body is telling me and act accordingly. It will also make DH happier. =)

With regards to the weight gain all appears to be right on track. I thought perhaps I was gaining too much too fast, but based on her calculations (and the internet) I appear to be gaining just the right amount of weight. My food choices also seem appropriate so I guess I'm doing well on that front too.

I've been feeling him move recently. It's kind of freaky. I guess I'll get used to it but it just feels odd. Like something is wrong with my insides and I need to fix it. Either eat something, drink some water, pee, something to make my tummy settle down. But then my brain kicks in and realizes that nothing I do will make the baby stop kicking. =) I'm sure it will soon be no big deal.

Email

Hi friends!

So facebook has probably already told you, but we had an ultrasound this morning to check to make sure the baby was developing well- organs all there and in the right place- and also to check on the gender.

Everyone was really impressed with its heart- nice and strong and really well visible, got great measurements on flow. Had some issues looking at the spin since it was laying on its back and the spin was hard to visualize in it's entirety. But everyone said it all looked good. Saw my cervix and that was placenta is in front- thus me not feeling a lot of movement from the baby, all cushioned by the placenta.

They measured the circumference of the abdomen and the skull and all is appropriate for its gestational age. Hooray! =) Saw that it has a brain with all its parts. Two arms and two legs with all its little toes and fingers.

Basically it looks normal and awesome.

We were also able to tell the gender, and we're having a boy! Very cool. I have now put away all the donated clothes in our newly purchased dresser (pic on fb) so it's getting more real. So excited.

And now for the pics. They gave us more than this, but these ones I've labeled and show some fun things.

Love you!

SIL's labor

I thought my response to this goes to show how comfortable we are with homebirthing:

My husband said to me that SIL was headed to the hospital. I thought to myself, 'Is she sick or something?'...'Oh! She must be going there because her labor has started!' It's funny how those were my first thoughts- that she must be sick or something was wrong with her. It's that why you go to the hospital?

It turns out that she had a vaginal birth without pain meds and everyone was doing well. We thought for sure she'd go home that day. Apparently they were keeping her for three days! Perhaps something else was going on, but that just seems crazy to me- and to my husband too.

I am SO glad we're having a homebirth and that we get to labor in our own environment with us in control and no transporting back and forth. That just does not sound enjoyable and relaxing- especially with a newborn and all their supplies. :)

12w

Had my NT screening at 11w3d and I felt very vindicated after the scan. That I wasn't making it all up, and that there WAS a little baby in there. It was nice to get some confirmation. =) Shortly after that I had my midwife appointment at 12w1d where everything looked good. They felt my uterus right where it should be and I could definitely tell that they were on it. I'm already starting to poke around there. I just know that I'll be palpating my uterus all the time in the coming months. Is that a spin? A head? Oh yes. At the midwife appointment I recorded the heart rate for DH since he wasn't able to be there. They said it was 170bpm. There was also a bit of a bump in there and they said that was the baby kicking. =) Too cute.

Now that I'm almost in my 2nd tri I am feeling more pregnant and less fat, which is a very nice change. I've also kept poofing outward as the previous picture shows. I haven't been buttoning my pants for a month, but now I can't even zip some of them up. Think it's time to get some real maternity pants. I bought one pair but they are too big so I'm not wearing them too often. I have an Old N. gift card that I'm planning on using here in the near future to get me some pants.

I'm also sick again. Stuck in my nose at the moment. I am so done being sick. I'm never sick this often and I don't like it. Especially since all I can do is keep drinking tea. No drugs for me. Bleh.

All in all, I'm feeling good and happy to have some energy back.

I look huge!