34 Weeks

So close and still so far away! I'm so ready to meet this little wiggly girl!
I had 2 appointments this week. One with the OB and one for monitoring.  Everything is going well so far.  At the OB, my belly measured exactly on track, my blood pressure was normal and I'm only a gaining a pound a week (which is the recommended amount). I mentioned my contractions that I have all day everyday to the doctor and she was not concerned about it. As long as the contraction do not come in a pattern or close together.  Which so far they have been very irregular and no pain just discomfort from my belly tightening up.  I am hoping that all this practicing makes it easier to push baby out.
At my monitoring appointment, baby was yet again uncooperative. She was sleeping during the heart rate monitoring, so not doing her accelerations. And she was wiggling for the ultrasound. Pretty much the opposite of what they need her to do.  Just can't win with this one. Oh well!
But overall, she is doing great!
Baby girl moves around a ton! I'm always getting kicked, punched and headbutted. She still has the hiccups all the time too.
We still have no name decided for her yet. Everyone keeps asking me what we are naming her and we seriously have yet to decide.
Her room is all ready for her and so are all her things. Everything is organized and cleaned/washed.
Now ti's just a waiting game!
I was going to try to work until the end of July, but my boss is getting worried that my water will break while I am work and she doesn't want that to happen so I might be off work sooner than planned. If that happens, I hope baby comes just a tiny bit early so I wont get too bored just hanging out at home waiting.
In the meantime, we went to AZ for the holiday weekend. This was my last trip until after baby arrives. We went to AZ because I was throwing a bridal shower for my BFF, Kalina, who is getting married in October. (In which I am a bridesmaid and is giving me a goal to lose the baby weight before her wedding so I can fit in my dress).
We also had one last chance to see the family before baby arrives.


Sorry this post is going up almost a week late

32 Weeks

Single digit countdown! 8 more weeks!

I have recovered from my stomach flu from a couple weeks ago. I did end up losing a couple a of pounds but nothing concerning. This week, weight is up about 22 pounds. Not too bad.

I went to the OB and the specialist this week. And everything is going well!

OB appt was quick and easy. I had my belly measured, which was right on track and listened to baby's heartbeat,once she stopped wiggling long enough to get the beats counted. Also, got the whooping cough vaccine with tetanus, so my arm is still a little sore. Going back in about 2 weeks for another check up.

I went to the specialist's office for an u/s and monitoring.  Ultrasound didn't go as well as hoped but only because baby girl has her head down super low in my pelvis.  Lower than ever before.  She seems to be getting ready to make her exit. So the tech was not able to get any pictures of her head or face. She also wiggled a lot so getting clear pictures of anything was a challenge. However, they got enough measurements to estimate her length and weight, which has come back up to average, 17 in and 4.4 lbs. The tech also said she though she saw a fat roll.

After my ultrasound, then I was hooked up to the monitors.  Baby did cooperate for that this time.  We got done in the normal 20 minutes. I did however, have tightening and a contraction while  on the monitor. The tightening happens all the time and its usually baby moving around but I'm suppose to watch the contractions and make sure I don't have them too often. If I do then I have to call my OB and go tot the hospital.

Overall, things are good! I have been getting baby's room all ready and organized. I'll take and post some pics once it is all cleaned up. Greg left for a conference in Maine this week but before he left, he got the prints I make put up, a couple of shelves put up and the butterfly mobile hung up too.  I have been washing some of her things and organizing her clothes. So many cute things!

Getting excited and ready for her to be here, even though I know she needs to cook a little but longer. We are just so close to the end.

30 Weeks

Starting the countdown at 10 weeks now, so exciting!
I have had two monitoring appointments at the specialist office. Both times baby girl was not very cooperative. It seems to be the only time she sleeps.  During the monitoring, I'm hooked up to the heart rate and contraction monitors.  The nurses are looking for baby to raise her heart rate twice, 10 bpm higher than her baseline for 10 seconds, in approximately 20 mins.  Well,  it always take longer cause she sleeps or she won't raise her heart rate for the entire 10 seconds.  So it takes cold water, switching sides and even vibrating my belly to wake her up.  But eventually she does it.  I also get  low resolution ultrasound to check for movement, blood flow, practice breathing motions and fluid levels.  So far, she was been doing well.
As I posted in my last update, I was suppose to have an OB appt on Wednesday.  Well I didn't make that appt because Tuesday night, I went to the hospital because I was throwing up and couldn't keep anything down.  I spent 6 hours in labour & delivery triage, throwing up and getting IV fluids and anti nausea medications.  At about 5am, I was admitted to the hospital because I hadn't stopped throwing up.  I spent the entire day Wednesday hooked up to an IV drip and getting medication.  It was determined that I had the stomach flu.  All my blood work came back normal and no fever or contractions. I received 5-6 IV bags, started being able to keep water and crackers down so I was released.  Worst 24 hours ever!  Baby was monitored and she was fine.  Normal heart rate the entire time, lots of movement and I had a few Braxton hicks contractions (due to my dehydration).
I saw my OB while I was in the hospital, she was only concerned that I got enough fluids back in me. Baby was fine, so no worries there.
I've been resting at home for the last few days. And my mother in law was able to drive out from AZ to stay with me while I recovered. (Greg has been out of town this entire week on his guys hiking trip. He was not able to make it back due to their semi remote location in California).
I have another monitoring appt next week, then the next week I have an OB appt and an ultrasound appt to check baby's growth at the specialist and more monitoring..

We are finally getting close to the end and I'm so excited for her to be here. Her room is mostly organized. Still need to get the decor up and clothes washed but then I think we are as ready as we can get.  I only have 8 more weeks of work left.  Going to stop 2 weeks before my due date.
Still no decision made about her name yet! I think we are just going to wait till she arrives to make that final decision.

No Belly Pic this week because I was sick and Greg wasn't here to take the pic.

28 Weeks and Baby Shower

We have made it officially into the 3rd trimester! Pretty exciting!
I am a little late posting here since Greg and I went to AZ for the weekend and all my appts were last Thursday.
So here's what is new.  I had a very short appt with the OB. Heartbeat was good and my belly measured good. Weight and blood pressure were good also.  Only question I had while there, was that baby girl tends to ball up and push out on my uterus tightening it up in spots. I was concerned that it might be Braxton Hicks contractions but the nurse practitioner said its just baby moving around in there.  Which baby does a lot of most days.  She is a wiggler and a kicker. Since I am now in the 3rd trimester, I will be going to the OB's office every 2 weeks until 36 weeks then I will go every week until baby makes her appearance.
After my OB appt, I went to see the specialist for an ultrasound. They were really backed up with patients so they decided to start doing fetal non stress test monitoring on baby and I.  Basically, I am hooked up the fetal monitor and contraction monitor that is used during labor to measure baby's heart rate and if I am having contractions.  Needless to say, my very active baby was not cooperative, as usual. Every time the nurses tried to catch her heart beat, baby would kick/punch the monitor and move away.  I was suppose to be monitored for 20 minutes and during that time, baby's heart rate was only captured half the time because she would move away.  The nurses said it gets easier to catch them on the monitor when they get bigger and have less room to move away. Anyway, I will be doing this monitoring once a week for the next month and possibly for the rest of my pregnancy.
When I finally got my ultrasound, baby was less wiggly but still in her usual head down position.  Makes it a little tricky to get all the measurements they need from her when she is like this. But from the measurements the tech got this time, baby is measuring on the small side. She is about 2.4 pounds and between 14-15 inches long.  Though the ultrasound is estimating based on the measurements the tech takes. The nurse practitioner that I saw, said not to worry at this point babies start to grow at their own rate and she is perfectly fine.
I go back for another ultrasound in 4 weeks to check on her growth. I also had to get blood work done to check on my thyroid again.

 Bump just keeps getting bigger.

 3D ultrasound of baby girl. She had her cord floating between her nose and lips and she is squished to the side.

Regular profile ultrasound

After all my appts on Thursday, Greg and I left to go to AZ for the weekend. My BFF Ashley was throwing me a baby shower and we had to attend the funeral of my grandma.

My shower was amazing and I am so thankful for everyone that came and for all the wonderful gifts and books every one brought and sent. Baby girl is well loved already!

Greg got caught holding his cousin's baby, He doesn't hold babies often.  

The week before we got all of the nursery furniture. The dresser and crib arrived a couple days apart from each other and Greg was able to get the crib put together.

Now all I need to do is get the decor up and the nursery will be ready!

I do need to work on organizing all the gifts we received from the shower too. But now I have places to put things.

So next update I suppose will be in a couple weeks, after some monitoring appts and the OB.

Thanks again to all those who came to the shower and sent gifts!  We really appreciate you and them!

26 Weeks!

Thursday, was officially 26 weeks and according to my app with my countdown on it, that's only 98 more days until due date! Yay double digit countdown!
The last 2 weeks have not been that exciting. Only done 2 pregnancy related things, first was I had my glucose level tested. I have yet to hear results. I assume that if I haven't heard anything from the Dr then is everything is fine.
Also, Greg and I have started to take some classes. I signed us up for a birthing class, a newborn care class and a breastfeeding class (making Greg go to this class with me because if I have to go then so does he). Right now, we are taking the 4 week birthing class. Class is once a week for 3 hours. Some of the information is helpful and some of it is not. I am for sure not having a natural birth so a lot of the techniques for pain management do not apply to those getting the epidural. But I suppose its good info to know in case I can't have the epidural for any reason.
Baby girl has been moving around a lot.  She is usually down super low in my pelvis. I have only a felt one kick to the ribs and that was when I was laying down. I have felt her have the hiccups a handful of times recently also.
Still no name for her.  Still working on it.
That's about it for this week.
At 28 weeks, I will see the OB and be getting an ultrasound from the specialist.
We will be going to AZ right after those appts for memorial weekend, so my next blog update will be delayed a bit.

Bump is getting bigger! Going to be huge by the time baby arrives....