36 Weeks Pregnant

I am to the point where I'd just like to be in labor now. In another week I'll be considered full-term and wouldn't mind an early delivery! Having no job, at a standstill with "nesting" as we are in the process of moving, tired of my hobbies, and reading up on pregnancy-related stuff has really made be antsy. I guess I'm just tired of waiting....and being worried about other things that I really don't want to go into.

Anyways, I just got back from my weekly ob-gyn appointment and everything is progressing along. Baby is in a head-down position ready to make his entrance to the world....hopefully, he'll stay that way. The doctor said that I'm 50-75% effaced, though didn't tell me how much I'm dilated. I guess it's pretty normal for first-time moms to be more effaced than dilated and vice versa for 2nd timers. The doctor thinks I may be delivering this baby sooner than later which is good news! Though I think my parents would be pretty disappointed not being there for the actual labor, I'm just being impatient. Either way, I just hope this baby is healthy prior to making an appearance to the outside world.

How Far Along: 36 weeks and only 4 more to go...or less!
Total Weight Gain: 30 lbs. Looks like I'll be in my target weight gain range of 30-35 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: My shirts are barely covering the stretchy band of my pants. I can't wait to retire these clothes....I'm tired of wearing the same old things.
Sleep: Sleeping later since I don't have to work so get to bed around 1 a.m or 2 a.m. Then I usually sleep through the night and wake up around 9 a.m. So, I'm getting around 6-7 hours of good sleep.
Best Moment of the Week: The doctor telling me that this baby may be arriving sooner than later!

Movement: Jabbing, shifting and rolling around motions. Some shaking of the belly...hiccups? Feeling limbs!!
Food Craving: Everything.
Food Aversions: None!
Morning Sickness: I felt a little nauseous today, but passed. Acid reflux was bothersome last weekend, but it's settled down.
Gender: It's a boy!
Labor Signs: Not for 4 weeks, + or - 2 weeks.
Belly Button: Still in the transitional stage, though more outie than innie.
What I Miss: Deli meat. Triple shot tall Americano.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Family visiting, giving birth.
Weekly Wisdom: Healthcare workers are annoying at times.
Milestones: Being 50-75% effaced!

35 Weeks Pregnant!

I just got back from the doctor's and everything is well with baby boy. His heart is beating in the 140s and he is engaged in the head down position. I'm dilated 1 cm and the doctor was able to feel the baby's head as well as him actively move in there! She said it was perfectly normal to be dilated at this time and that is usually what they'd like versus me not dilating at all. The doctor thinks I'll give birth to a 6-pounder which is good for my size. She'd rather see that than me delivering an 8-pounder!! She estimated that he probably weighs around 4.5 pounds right now. And bit on the wee side, but if I delivered early, it should be okay. So from now until I deliver, I'll be making weekly trips to the doctor's office. We did finally settle on a pediatrician and the ob-gyn said he was a very likable doctor. Anyways, things are progressing as planned!

How Far Along: 35 weeks and only 5 more to go :)
Total Weight Gain: 30 lbs. Looks like I'll be in my target weight gain range of 30-35 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: My shirts are barely covering the stretchy band of my pants.
Sleep: Sleeping soundly though getting up 1-2 times a night. Can't take naps during the day even if I get pretty tired during the day...and I'm not working.
Best Moment of the Week: Feeling the baby move daily.

Movement: Jabbing, shifting and rolling around motions. Some shaking of the belly...hiccups? Feeling limbs!!
Food Craving: Everything.
Food Aversions: None!
Morning Sickness: No. Some acid reflux.
Gender: It's a boy!
Labor Signs: Not for 5 weeks, + or - 2 weeks.
Belly Button: Still in the transitional stage.
What I Miss: Deli meat. Alcohol. Triple shot tall Americano.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Family visiting, giving birth.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't stress out about things you can't control.
Milestones: Being 1 cm dilated!!!!

34 Weeks Pregnant

I officially started my maternity leave on Monday....and thank goodness!! Work on Sunday was brutal on my back and it wasn't like I had very heavy patients. But I came home with a very stiff and painful back. I couldn't bend at all and had to use my hands on my thighs to support myself when I stood up. Oh, I never had pain like that before. It still hurt the next morning, so much so that I broke down and took some Tylenol. After that and resting on the couch, my back felt much better by the afternoon and now, I'm back to normal!

I will miss working, but am so glad to have some time off before baby boy arrives to get ready for his arrival. Last Friday, my work threw me and 2 other preggo co-workers a baby shower. We had a yummy potluck and played a couple of shower games. They gave each of us some wonderful gifts as well. What a spoiled baby boy!!

Tomorrow, Chuck and I attend our childbirth prep classes. Hope to learn a lot of useful information as well as tour the hospital. We also attend a breastfeeding class on Friday. I'm hoping to be successful at breastfeeding and attempt to do it for as long as possible.

How Far Along: 34 weeks and only 6 more to go :)
Total Weight Gain: 31 lbs. Yikes!!! Definitely going over my 35 lb. max...oh well. Hopefully to gain no more than 40 lbs.!!!!!!
Maternity Clothes: For sure.
Sleep: Good sleep, getting up 1-2 times a night.
Best Moment of the Week: Going on maternity leave!!

Movement: Jabbing, shifting and rolling around motions. Some shaking of the belly...hiccups? Feeling limbs!!
Food Craving: Everything.
Food Aversions: None!
Morning Sickness: Nope...getting heartburn though.
Gender: It's a boy!
Labor Signs: Not for 6 weeks, + or - 2 weeks.
Belly Button: More an outie than an innie....both right now.
What I Miss: Deli meat. Alcohol. Triple shot tall Americano.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Seeing family in June.
Weekly Wisdom: Relax!
Milestones: Going on maternity leave.

33 Weeks and 2-5 days MD Appt.

My MD is going to sign all the paperwork for me to start my disability officially on Monday. I have to wait a week until they mail in the application to the State and start receiving compensation for wages lost while on pregnancy-related disability. I can't believe I'll be taking off work so soon. I thought I'd be working at least through my 36-38th week, but I'm just getting really physically and mentally tired at work. Plus, I have more time to start "nesting" and spending time with family when they visit beginning June.

I have my in-laws arriving the first week of June and will be here for a month. My brother-in-law and his family will be in town for a week. They most likely won't see the baby since they are here the first week of June, but it'll be nice to see them again. My parents plan to be here for the birth and stay for two weeks and my sister will be here for a week a few days after the baby's supposed due date. Hopefully, baby boy will decide to come right before or at least while my sister is in town!! It's so hard to predict when he'll be making his appearance.

The MD said everything is going well. It was such a short visit...takes me longer to drive, sit and wait than my actual one-to-one visit with the MD. I guess that's good since it means me and baby are doing well. My blood pressure is good. I actually lost a pound. She didn't seem to worry, so I guess that's ok. And baby boy's heart rate is a healthy 150 bpm. He's kicking more than 10 times in an hour. All-in-all, the best I could ever ask for.

At the next visit, they'll start checking my cervix to see if I'm dilating at all! Oh my gosh, it's going by so fast!!!! Chuck and I are starting our childbirth prep class on Wednesday and have our breastfeeding class on Friday. It's going to be a very busy time from now and until forever, but I'm so enjoying it!!!!!

Anyways, off to eating lunch and then spending the rest of the day scrapbooking since I have the day off today :)

33 Weeks!!!

I can't believe I have 7 weeks left...well, +/- 2 weeks. Everyone loves to tell me that your first born tends to be past due. It's ok, I guess. I'm still enjoying being pregnant. Baby boy is getting stronger every day as well as very active. He likes to change positions and causes my belly to contort....so weird, but a good feeling. It doesn't hurt, but just feels weird.

I see my MD on Thursday and I think I'm ready to quit working. It is getting more difficult to lift patients and my belly is such a hindrance on good body mechanics that my back hurts more often. I probably could work another 2 weeks, but mentally I've checked out!

How Far Along: 33 weeks and only 7 more to go :)
Total Weight Gain: 31 lbs. Yikes!!! Definitely going over my 35 lb. max...oh well. Hopefully to gain no more than 40 lbs.!!!!!!
Maternity Clothes: For sure.
Sleep: Good sleep, getting up 1-2 times a night.
Best Moment of the Week: Feeling the baby limbs move.

Movement: A lot of jabbing, shifting and rolling around motions. Some shaking of the belly...hiccups? Feeling limbs!!
Food Craving: Everything.
Food Aversions: None!
Morning Sickness: Getting better, less nausea this week.
Gender: It's a boy!
Labor Signs: Not for 7 weeks, + or - 2 weeks.
Belly Button: Still an innie :) But it's trying to be an outie!!
What I Miss: Deli meat. Alcohol.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Maternity leave! No more work!!!
Weekly Wisdom: Tune some of the info out that people volunteer to tell you...just because it happened to them doesn't mean it will be the same for you.
Milestones: Only 49 days to go!