High-risk What????

So here I am so close to 30 weeks, and I can’t believe it!  It has definitely been a wild ride, and we are so grateful that Baby Girl is healthy and growing at a perfect pace.  I went to the high risk doctor on this week and got an ultrasound and also spoke with the diabetes counselor.  Baby girl is measuring right on target at 3 pounds and was yawning away.  I got some great news while I was there – the Dr. said that he doesn’t need to see me again unless there’s an issue or if my OB feels it's nessecary, so all I have to do is send my sugars to the counselor once a week, and I’m good to go.  I can control the diabetes with diet, so there’s no reason for meds or any other interventions, which has made me extremely happy.  I really haven’t adjusted my diet, so I really think the diabetes diagnosis was just a little wake up call to get my nutrition in check, which I’m more than happy to do to make sure Baby Girl is healthy and happy.

Speaking of food, I thought I had avoided cravings, but as I analyze my behavior, I realize that I in fact have developed some food cravings/tastes that I didn’t previously have.  I have been eating a lot of breakfast burritos lately, as well as Italian subs.  These are 2 things I never ate before pregnancy.  It will be very interesting to see if these tastes stick around once baby gets here.  I have also been eating a lot of Chick-Fil-A.  I definitely liked Chick-Fil-A before, but I’m there almost every day for either breakfast (a burrito of course) or for dinner.  It turns out their nuggets are low carb, so going there is definitely a safe place for me to be able to get something delicious, and still keep my sugars in check. 

Well, I’m off to check my sugars and head to bed, I’m getting to work early in the morning so I hopefully won’t have to work to much this weekend.  I will just leave you all with the 29 week update (just a few days late J):

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Like many mothers out there today, I will also struggle with trying to maintain the best “work/life balance” for myself and my family.  Joey and I come from families of two extremes.  My mom worked full time for my entire childhood, and Joey’s mom stayed at home until Joey was in middle school.  When I talked to my grandmother, I found out that she even went back to work full time in the early 50’s!  So, when it came to the question of whether or not to stay home or go back to work, I honestly struggled for a couple of months to decide what would be the best for me and my family.  I would like to preface this with I respect women who choose staying at home or going back to work, and I am not preferential to either way.   I’m a big advocate of making the decision that works for your personality and situation and family.

I have worked since I was 16, and I couldn’t have imagined it any other way.  Work is something that I have always valued and I like to think that I have a pretty decent work ethic thanks to the values that my family holds and has passed down to us kids.  I worked hard in college to get the education for my career and then worked hard another year and a half studying for and passing the CPA exam while getting my footing at a CPA firm here in town.  Now, almost 5 years out of school, I have made this giant life decision that is going to change everything.  From the moment I saw the positive pregnancy test, my life was no longer my own.  My focus has now shifted completely from “me,Joey,work” to “baby,baby,baby”. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am still putting in the long hours until the baby comes (as hard as that is and will be over the next couple months), but I know in May things are going to be drastically different and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to maintain my current work situation with a little one at home, and feel like I was really being there for my family like i want.  Joey travels several days out of each month for work and although we have a wonderful support system around us, I want to be a very hands on parent.

I was dreading going to talk to my boss, but I knew that I would have to make some career sacrifices in order to obtain the family life that I’m looking for.  Fortunately, I have the option to stay home if I chose, although it would be pretty tight, but still doable.  I decided to take 6 months off after Baby Girl gets here and then I will go back part time, which means set hours during busy season and non-busy season times of the year.  It will be a big change for me in both the hours worked and the types of work that I’m doing, but I think it will be the best thing for me.  It allows me to get some adult time with co-workers and some extra cash for our savings and fun money, and it also allows me some more time at home to soak in every moment of this new little life that we are about to be blessed with.  My firm has been more than cooperative and supportive with everything and I’m so grateful that I’m working for such a great place.  We have also found great childcare that is affordable and right down the road, so we have definitely been lucky in regards to the plan that we have set in motion.

Even with all the decisions made, I still face a personal struggle in regards to if I am in fact making the right decision.  I am notoriously hard on myself in regards to my personal and professional accomplishments (just ask my mom), and jumping off the career track, even to the small extent that I am, is still somewhat distressing.  I was raised to be a strong independent woman who could take care of herself, and I find myself losing a little bit of that financial independence and professional identity by stepping back and making my family my main priority.  There have been several days lately when I am really into what I’m working on and enjoying the fruits of my labor that I worked at to get to my position, and I get a little sad because I know that it’s all going to change in just a couple of months. 

I honestly think it will all be worth it in the end, and I will be happy with my decision, but the not knowing definitely causes a little bit of second guessing on my part.  I know it will all work out in the end though, and I’m positive that I can accomplish anything with the wonderful family and friends that I have behind me every step of the way!

Hello Third Trimester!

I officially hit 28 weeks today, which is the beginning of the 3^rd Trimester.  I have to admit, it has hit me like a ton of bricks.  The stretch marks are on full force and I’m starting to get tired again like in the first trimester.   Also, I start going to the doctor every 2 weeks, so things are really starting to become real.  She will be here before we know it!

We went to the doctor today and baby girl had a great check up.  She’s weighing in at 2lbs 11 oz, and her heart rate was averaging at about 135.  She actually cooperated with the heart monitor this time.  The Dr. took some measurements during the ultrasound and said everything was right on target.  She is measuring a little over average at the moment, but the doctor said she was still in the normal range.  I actually got into a little trouble for losing a pound over the last 2 weeks, so I have to work on gaining this week.  It’s hard to gain when you are avoiding carbs J, but I will do the best I can.  I also got the Rhogam shot, which was not cool at all, it goes in your rear and really burns.  I’m definitely glad that part is over.

We also had a little talk about when baby girl decides to make her arrival.  As you all know, we are using the Bradley Method, which encourages drug free labor with minimal medical interventions.  I became a little concerned with the new “high risk” diagnosis due to the gestational diabetes, and how that was going to affect our plans for baby’s birth.  The doctor said there was no reason that we couldn’t wait at least until her due date to make any decisions regarding speeding things along with an induction.  Of course, after 40 weeks, due to baby’s safety, we might have to look into alternatives.  That made me feel a little better about possibly not being able to experience what we wanted, although I understand that we just have to go with the flow and make sure everyone is safe in the process.

Here’s the 28 week update:

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. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. 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.

27 weeks, just chugging along…

Today ended up being a pretty good day.  We had a follow-up with the doctor to check out how my sugars were going since the diagnosis of gestational diabetes last week, everything is going well, but she would still like me to have to consult with the high risk doctor and the nutritionist, so that appt. was set up a couple of weeks from now.   I am supposed to just keep monitoring my sugar levels and taking it easy on the carbs, which has been surprisingly easy to do.   I want to thank all the mommies out there for their support and advice, I can’t tell you how great it is to be a part of such a wonderful club. 

While at the doctor, they hooked me up to the heart rate monitor and Baby Girl just wasn’t having it at all.  She kicked and kicked at the monitor until the nurse just decided to take it off, and we got to have an impromptu ultrasound.  She showed us her little face and it looks like she might even have daddy’s nose.  We also found out that if Baby Girl decided to make an early appearance and I went into labor today, she would have an over 80% chance of survival, which definitely makes this mama feel good.

We have another appointment next Monday, which is the 28 week check-up that includes an ultrasound for growth and also my Rhogam shot.  With me being A- and Joey having positive blood, we are taking precautions to protect me and the baby as well as future babies that we have.  Hopefully, this will be the only shot, but if the baby’s blood is positive at birth, I will receive another shot.  Here’s the link to Wikipedia regarding the Rhogam shot.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhogam

Here’s the 27 week update:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) 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, your baby's 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.

Busy Bee!

I apologize for the lack of updates the past couple of weeks.  Work has been bananas lately, and it doesn’t seem to be easing up any time soon.  It’s a whole new world being pregnant during busy season, but I think I’m up to the challenge.  We have gotten the nursery mostly completed, we are just waiting for the decorative items and the rocker to come in, and then we will be done!  It will be nice to have the room ready before the showers, that way we will have a place to put everything.

As part of our 24 week check up (which actually happened during week 25 because of the snow), I had to take the 1 hour glucose test to check for gestational diabetes.  The cut off is a glucose level of 135, and I registered at exactly 135, which meant that I had to come back the next week for the 3 hour test.  This past Monday, I went in for the 3 hour test.  If any 2 of the 4 readings are abnormal, then comes the next step to determine if I have gestational diabetes.  Unfortunately, I had 2 abnormal readings.  Now, I have to test my blood sugar 4 times and day and record my diet.  I will meet with the doctor next week who will review my results and then possibly send me to the high risk doctor and nutritionist to work on a diet plan.  Luckily, over the past couple of days, my sugar has been within the normal range, without many changes to my diet, so I feel pretty good that I will be able to manage my blood sugar with diet, which is a huge relief.  I will definitely keep you all posted.

Coming up in a couple weeks is another ultrasound of our baby girl, and I couldn’t be more excited to see her again!  If I’m not mistaken, after that appointment, I will start going to the Dr. every two weeks, which means that our little one will be here before we know it!  In the meantime, I will post the 26 week update.

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

Pregnancy = Fun?

I had a co-worker the other day ask me if I was having fun being pregnant.  I said “sometimes,” but on the way home I thought about it a little more.  Is “fun” the word that should be used to describe such a life changing and scary event?  I guess it could be included in the huge amount of words that I have probably used so far in discussing the events of the last 6 months with family and friends.  However, since I make pro and con lists in my head for everything, it struck me to make a “fun” and “not fun” list for pregnancy.  Since it has been a more positive than negative experience, I will work my way from “not fun” to “fun”:

Not Fun:

Morning Sickness – This started for me around 7 weeks, and honestly, there are still mornings when I get sick, but they are now fewer in frequency.  I’m most glad to be over the constant gagging, it just drove me crazy!

Fatigue – All day fatigue didn’t last too terribly long for me, but there are still days when I become just dead tired.  For someone in a career in which many times you “just push through” to get the work done, this may have be the most difficult symptom to cope with as my busy season has gotten into gear.

Acne – My skin has never been great, but geez, this is ridiculous.

1^st trimester worries – Am I doing everything right?  What can go wrong?  What was that pain?  I think as society has become more open about pregnancy, there has been more information available, but there’s honestly too much.  Too much information that discusses worst case scenarios that are very rare.  I didn’t realize until I got pregnant just how hard it is for some to get pregnant and get through the 40 weeks with no complications – it makes me very grateful for the experience that I have had so far, and I pray every night that it stays that way.

Fun:

Decorating – The nursery was painted this weekend, and ¾ of the furniture is in place.  We still have a few decisions to make, but it has been really fun to do something with so many cute elements.

Name Decisions – Although it’s been really hard to decide, (who am I kidding, we still don’t know for sure!), it has been fun to think of names.  You think about calling your kid’s name at the park, and how her name will look on wedding invitations, and it makes you all the more excited about the future.

Feeling/Seeing Kicks – Right before I started typing this there were 2 kicks that I could actually see from the outside.  I have been feeling kicks pretty consistently for the past couple of weeks and it never gets old.  I am thinking I will probably even miss it a little when she actually gets here.

Really crossing the threshold into being a “family” – I know we became a family when Joey and I got married, but now it’s really starting to all come full circle.  There is just something so awesome about knowing that you are making a contribution to a new generation.

Being Excited in General – Through all of it, the bad and the good, I have been really excited.  I’m sure I haven’t shown it a lot in my actions, but even the bad things have been completely worth it.  I can’t believe that in 16 weeks I will actually be holding this little person in my arms, and not just feeling punches and kicks.

Well, now that I have just completed the longest post I have ever done, I will now add the 24 week update:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

4 months to go, oh my!

So as the New Year has begun, we have now come to the realization that there will be a little person in the house in just 4 short months.  Joey has been recovering from surgery this week, so there hasn’t been much planning on the baby front.  We have registered at Target and Babies R Us, so at least that part is done; now it’s just the whole name issue, nursery planning and starting our childbirth classes, of which the first day is January 13^th.  It’s looking like Joey will be out of town that day, so my mom (the assistant coach) is going to join me for the first class. 

As far as the nursery goes, we are planning to get out today and get some paint, and we have 98% decided on bedding.  It’s not incredibly girly, but since we are planning on having our kids fairly close, we just didn’t want to invest too much time and money into a girly nursery when we would possibly have to turn around and make a very boy nursery a year down the road.  Our concept basically looks like this:

Sage Chirp Bedding

We will be adding pink accents of course and there will be other girly items added along the way.  Luckily the green lends itself to combining with pink, so we think it’s going to look really good.  Once it’s completed, I will be of course posting before and after shots.

Here’s the 23 week update!

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.