34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: I'm up to 159. I think that's a total gain of 12 lbs. Not sure because I lost some weight in the first tri, but it's about that.

Appointments: Just regular OB appointments. Oh and toss in an emergency appointment with the OB to see if the rash that I have on my trunk is PUPPS (Google it. Pregnant women don't want to have it.). The OB is "not convinced" that the rash is PUPPS. So... sort of yay! I am pretty convinced it is from using BioOil to help with the itchiness I was getting from my skin stretching.Google 'bad reaction to BioOil' and you'll find MANY posts on forums about pregnant women breaking out in bad red rashes after using BioOil. Oops. I have another OB appointment next week. Nothing exciting until the 36 week appointment with MFM on July 12th. We'll find out the timeline and method of delivery then. AAH!


How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your baby measures about 19.8 inches from head to toe and weighs about 5 pounds. Baby is probably settling into the head-down position, although it might not be final. Organs are now almost fully mature, except for lungs, and the skin is pink instead of red. Fingernails reach the ends of fingers, but toenails are not yet fully grown. Baby might have lots of hair. Movements are less frequent because of the tight fit."
 -  Our baby probably weighs a little over 6 lbs now. And she doesn't follow the standard of not moving as much. She's a busy little bee in there still. 

Clothing?  I picked up a few things at Motherhood for the hot weather but not enough. When it's 90 degrees outside, I just want to wear... well, nothing.

Sleep? Carpal tunnel pain now wakes me up several times a night. I sleep with braces on but they don't help much. Only laying on my back with my arms stretched out helps. But you're not supposed to sleep on your back so my nights are very confusing and restless now.

Symptoms? Carpal tunnel in both hands, rash that hopefully isn't PUPPS, exhausted, cranky, can't get comfortable no matter how I sit (especially at work), swollen ankles.

 
 Other: My shower was this past weekend. It was AMAZING. I can't believe how generous everyone was and how much love I felt. This baby is one lucky little one to have so many wonderful people in her life already. The planning that went into the shower was also unbelievable. Overall the best day by far for me in many many months.

Picture: --->

33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks, 2 days

I took a couple of weeks off from blogging. I wish I could say it was because I was too busy having fun times, but not so much. But I'm back in business now!

Total weight gain: I'm actually not gaining. MFM doctor said to loosen up my GD diet a bit and try to eat more to see if I can gain some, but not to be concerned if I can't.

Appointments: So may appointments since last time, but most were with the ER and the colorectal surgeon. Nuff said about that. I did have a couple of OB appointments in there and one more growth u/s and an NST with MFM. The growth u/s showed that the little one was at 5.7 lbs at 32.5 weeks. Her tummy is still the only part measuring above the 95th percentile... not her head, legs, etc.  Which I'm happy about. But the MFM doctor did say that they'll have to see at my next growth u/s at 36 weeks how she's measuring. If she keeps on this weight gain trajectory that she has been on (1/2 lb per week now), they said they may have to induce me at 39 weeks or do a c-section. :/   I know, I know... everyone says the growth u/s measurements are notoriously wrong, but the MFM people are planning according to those measurements so I have no choice but to take them seriously. So the 36 week appointment will really tell us everything we need to know about her due date and delivery method. Aside from that, the little one is very healthy and so am I. My GD numbers are similar to someone without GD, the MFM doctor said. :)   Oh and she's head down and facing the left, which I'm really happy about and hope stays the same from here on out.

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (Or almost 6, like our little one) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood."

Clothing?  I wore hang out clothes and pjs for 2 weeks which was great, but now I'm back at work and it's HOT outside and i need summer maternity clothes ASAP.

Sleep? No fun. I pee every 1.5 hours, my hips hurt, the weight of the bump pulls it down so I get wicked RLP a couple of times per night that wakes me up.

Symptoms? She has her feet firmly planted in or on my ribs. All day, she moves her feet and my ribs sort of move. It's freaky but also fun at the same time. I also feel her punch me down low a lot. The kicks and punches definitely are more uncomfortable now. But I welcome each and every one.  My morning sickness has returned a bit (Oh joy). If I don't eat every 2 hours, I get pretty nauseous. And super cranky. I feel bad for Mike. I say that a lot during this pregnancy. ;p   My hips hurt since they're still expanding. The maternity belt helps a bit with that. In general, I just feel big and uncomfortable. Often I just have a general feeling like I ate WAY too much. I feel large, but I definitely don't feel in charge. ;p

 

Other: My shower is this weekend and I could NOT be more excited!!! Celebrating the little girl with everyone makes me cry every time I think about it. It's not about me, it's about her. And I love that. I can't wait to see everyone there as I've been sort of a hermit through much of this pregnancy due to all of the symptom issues I've had.

Pictures: Bump is big.

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: Not sure. I bet holding steady.

Appointments: Had an OB appointment this past Friday. Met another OB in the practice. They are all great so far. Yay. I'm measuring right on time according to the OB (via the tape measurer on the belly test).

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your belly’s increasing size is a definite clue that your baby is getting bigger every day, weighing in at over three pounds now (she’ll be packing on the weight at a rate of half a pound per week for the next seven weeks). Also growing daily is her brain, which is actually starting to look like the real thing with those characteristic grooves and wrinkles. And now that your little genius can regulate her own body temperature and turn up the heat, she'll start shedding lanugo, the downy body hair that's been keeping her warm up until now." 

And seeing this picture makes me realize that the pressure causing the hemis makes sense. Her noggin is probably just pushing down on nerves down there like crazy! ...

 

Clothing?  I'm doing well after finding some clothes at the consignment sale and borrowing some more from good friends.

Sleep? Hips hurt. Hemis hurt worse. Sleeping, but it ain't easy.

Symptoms? This week and last were TOUGH. I actually skipped posting last week because I couldn't get my head in to it. So, first, I had so much pain from swelling and tendonitis in my wrist that I had to go to MedExpress. By wearing a splint for a few days, that went away ...thank God. The bigger problem turned out to be reoccurring pain due to hemis. I had to go to the ER twice over the holiday weekend due to the pain. A surgeon did what he could but said that they will have to resolve themselves. I am in pretty much the worst pain I've been in my lifetime and it may not end until after the little one is here. I'm praying that it resolves itself within the week, as the surgeon said could happen. Life is not fun while feeling this way. I'm super grouchy and just feeling down. The pain deflates my funniness and I'm like Fun Bobby on Friends after he quit drinking. I know it's a strange request, but if you pray, I could use some prayers regarding that business. It is really freaking me out.  Aside from those things, I'm having normal hip pain at night and some swelling in my hands. One cute thing that happens is when I take baths to help get relief from the pain, the little girl thinks it's time to swim. I can feel her in there squirming around like a fish!

Pictures:This is from last week. My face this week is too scrunchy and angry. I'm skipping this week's pic. The bump hasn't grown much anyway.

28 weeks

How far along? 28 weeks, 5 days.  

Total weight gain: Not sure. Feels like eleventybillion pounds this week.

Appointments: No appointments this week. Have an OB appointment next week. Nothing very exciting until our next growth u/s on 6/14.

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. (- and as we know now, my little one is measuring bigger so she may be closer to 3.25 lbs now) She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. (Awwwww!) With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.  

I know that she's head down now. Yay! Hopefully she stays that way.

Clothing?  Need more. I'm going to a huge consignment sale tonight that is supposed to include maternity clothes. Hoping to score big there!

Sleep? Same as last update: Hips are hurting while I sleep still. Peeing during the night count = 3.I now have to roll out of bed.

Symptoms? This week brought the worst symptom of 'em all. I ended up having to go to the ER for treatment to a 'roid. It was traumatic. I'm still not healed. ... Aside from that horribleness, my back hurts, hips hurt, RLP on the right side gets me good now and then, feet and legs are swelling a bit.Thankfully, indigestion seems to have calmed down even since last week.

Pictures: Comparison of 24 weeks and this week. Figured it was a good idea since I was wearing the same thing in that picture.

24 weeks...

28 weeks...

POP! ;p

27 weeks - 3rd tri!

How far along? 27 weeks, 5 days.  What to Expect says I'm in the third trimester, so I'm calling it as such. Yay!

Total weight gain: According to the OB today, I gained 1 pound since my last visit 3 weeks ago. Still only something like a 6 lb gain total. Yay again!

Appointments: We had a MFM appointment on May 9th and they did a growth u/s. Turns out that the girl is super happy and healthy in there. She's measuring above the 95th percentile for weight. She's around 3 lbs now. Oh boy! It apparently isn't due to my 'beetus since my blood sugar numbers have been excellent. She's just measuring bigger right now. That could slow down or it could not. I bet it doesn't since her tummy has been measuring at least a week ahead since 18 weeks. Not sure if I'll be induced as early as 38 weeks or not yet, but my OB did say that they won't let me go past my due date (8/5). They'll make that call as we go along in the next several weeks.  I go to the OB every 2 weeks now instead of every 4. And we have our next growth u/s and our first Non-stress Test with MFM on June 14th (I'll be 32 weeks).   Additional info from the appointments: She's head down now (yay!), heartbeat is great, my bp is excellent, I don't have low iron and therefore don't need to supplement that.  Hmm, that's all I think.

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"This week, baby weighs almost 2 pounds (Wellll... not my baby. ;p) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, her brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle."   She still feels like a very active Kung Fu master in there. I love it!

 

Clothing?  I got a few things at Motherhood last week (tshirts, a pair of shorts, a pair of capris), but I need more for the warmer weather. I'm getting tired of seeing myself in the same clothes over and over again.

Sleep? Hips are hurting while I sleep still. Peeing during the night count = 3.

 
Symptoms? Indigestion is bad now. I'm a burping machine. I'm taking Zantac twice a day (OB approved!) for it and it does help. Braxton Hicks are still happening, but only maybe once per day. Hips hurt, back hurts, feet are swelling.

Pictures: I look humungous in this picture! Big ol' bump comin' at ya!

26 weeks - Headed towards the third trimester!

How far along? 26 weeks, 4 days.

Total weight gain: I weighed myself on my scale the other morning and I think I may be up a total of 8 pounds now. I'll get confirmation next week at the OB office.

Appointments: May 9th, we have our first growth u/s at Maternalfetal Medicine to ensure that baby girl isn't getting too big due to da 'beetus. I can not WAIT to see her! I'm so curious about how she's positioned and hopefully we can see her kick when we get the u/s because I want to see that. She is such a kicker!  That same morning, I have a regular OB appointment.

How big is baby and what's new with her?

• She measures 14 inches long and weighs over 1.7 pounds.
• The feet are 2 inches (5cm) long. Hands are very active. (Yeah they are!)
• The baby's eyes begin to open around this time. Not much to see, though.

The fetal brain scan will show response to touch. Touching and playing with the baby is possible now, as they may respond to touch through the belly wall.  (I was just doing this with her. She definitely kicked my hand when I rubbed it in certain spots on the bump!)

Clothing?  Oh boy... weather's getting hot and I need clothes for it. I may be in trouble soon.

Sleep? Arms fall asleep from sleeping on them. Hips hurt when I sleep and wake me up. Peeing maybe 2-3 times each night. Still miss sleeping on my stomach so so so so soooo much.

Symptoms? Not really a symptom, but a 'what's going on'... She is kicking me and punching me and rolling around and doing the Cabbage Patch and Centipede in there. It's awesome. I love every single second of it. She's still not kicking when people put their hands on my belly though. She is being a bit more reserved in that regard. Mike did get to feel one thump though. :)           As for the not so fun symptoms, m/s has returned between the hours of 3 - 5 pm daily. :/   So not right. But I had a nice couple month reprieve from it so it's ok, I guess. My back and hips hurt a lot. I'm also having Braxton Hicks maybe once or twice each day.

Pictures: 

25 Weeks

How far along? 25 weeks, 5 days .

Total weight gain: Holding steady, I think. My bump feels bigger though so maybe up a lb or two from that. Honestly, I don't weigh myself at home. I just wait for the OB to do so at appointments. I would weigh myself if I were worried about gaining too much, but da beetus is keeping me at an ok weight.

Appointments: No appointments until May 9th - when we have the first growth u/s and another OB appointment.

How big is baby and what's new with her?
She weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders we all played in elementary school music class.

 

We've hit V week - the week at which the baby now has a good chance of survival if she were born now. That's not gonna happen of course. She still needs the remaining weeks to get all done and ready for prime time!

 

Her little hands are now fully developed, although some of the nerve connections to the hands have a long way to go. Dexterity is improving. She can make a fist. Exploring the structures inside my ute has become her prime entertainment. Fascinated by the amount of tactile stimulation a fetus gives itself; she touches a hand to the face, one hand to the other hand, clasps her feet, touches her foot to her leg, her hand to the umbilical cord. (I swear I can feel all of these things happening. Girl is BUSY.)

Blood vessels of the lungs develop. Her nostrils begin to open. The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. Their swallowing reflexes are developing. She can hear sounds outside the womb and the brain cells are starting to mature also. (She seems to love listening to music. And Grandma already gave us the Sleep Sheep and she kicks like crazy when I play it and put it up against my bump.)

 

Clothing?  Still cool weather. Yay! Getting by with what I've got.

Sleep? Toss, turn, toss, turn, pee, toss turn, toss, turn, pee, toss, turn, pee....  (Same as last update)

Food Aversions? None. :)  

Symptoms? Back is killing me. I have to try to do yoga again. I gave it up after the first couple of months, but I really should do it to strengthen my back. I do feel really tired a lot now. My eyes feel red and tired often.  Nausea pops up here and there in the afternoon. SO not happy to see that return. It usually goes away if I eat some protein though. Still enjoying this time SO much compared to the 1st tri. Annie, Johnna, C, etc.... you were all SO right. It got better. :)   I thought you were all just lucky jerkfaces when you said that. So happy I was wrong. ;p

Pictures: A bit blurry. Sort of like how I feel today.