The Misnomer of the Nine-Month Pregnancy

Here's the thing: society, pop culture, and the media have been perpetuating this idea that pregnancy is a nine-month process. And yes, while it occurs over roughly nine months, ten months is a more accurate timeline. Look at it this way: you know there are usually four weeks in a month, and that there are 40 weeks in a pregnancy. Do the math here, folks. Forty weeks is ten months. I became pregnant in November, I will have my baby in August (or late July...). November --> August is ten months.

Thus, at 36 weeks pregnant, I am officially nine months, with another month to go still. Not feeling terrible, but good gracious I woke up this morning to painfully swollen hands! I think they'll loosen up as I go on about my day and get my circulation moving (maybe typing this post will help?), but yikes!

Right on time, here's my 36-week pic:

My book says my belly is just about as big as it will get, as Peanut is pretty much at her birth weight and length. As I mentioned last week, my belly already feels huge, and rolling side-to-side in the bed is getting increasingly difficult. I'm also experiencing pain in my hips if I lay on one for too long, which means lots of switching sides (and did I mention how difficult that is??). It doesn't make for a seamless process or uninterrupted sleep. Luckily, I have no problem laying down for a daytime nap here and there. ;D

Little girl is still very active, even though she's running out of room. Her hiccups are killing me these days, as I find the sensation irritating, especially in the middle of the night! Besides hiccups she does lots of rolls and stretches, still exploring her ever-shrinking space.

At this point, the book believes she is roughly 19 inches and weighs about six pounds. Obviously at this stage, there is no way to know for sure, since all babies grow differently in the later stage of pregnancy. Any day now, she should begin to move down into my pelvis, hopefully making breathing easier and relieve some of the heartburn I experience sometimes. It's still surreal that we're going to meet our baby girl SOON!

This is "the book" I'm always referring to.
I highly recommend it if you're also pregnant!!!

I had my 36-week visit with the doctor yesterday, and while she said all is relatively normal and baby is growing as she should, Doc still believes she might come a little early. However, if Peanut doesn't show up in the next two weeks,  the doc wants to induce labor between weeks 38 and 39 due to my increasingly high blood pressure. The risks to baby and to myself increase should we continue the pregnancy beyond 39 weeks, and at that point Peanut should be developed enough to survive just fine on her own. We'll find out more about the induction at my appointment next week.

Am I super stoked about this news? No, not really. Labor is supposed to be a natural process that starts on it's own when baby is ready, and I have mixed feelings about forcing my body to begin labor. Some women also say that induction of labor is more painful than when labor begins naturally, which nobody wants to hear anyway. Of course I don't want to put Peanut in any kind of danger and I completely trust my doctor and her advice. If she thinks delivering Peanut between 38 and 39 weeks is the very best thing for her, then that is what we'll do, whether I'm thrilled with it or not. Jeff and I have always had the attitude that we'd cross each bridge as we came to it, not worrying too much about what will or won't happen. We're trying to be as laid-back as we can about the process so that neither of us stresses out too much if things don't go "as planned."

We want our daughter healthy and happy, no matter how that happens.

I told Jeff last night I was hesitant to share this news with you, since (like baby names) everyone has an opinion on what should or shouldn't happen during labor and delivery, and (like all other pregnancy-related situations) everyone is more than willing to share their own unsolicited stories, opinions, and medical advice from their own doctor. How did so many of my friends and family go to medical school when I wasn't looking? My point is, Jeff and I will decide what is best for our daughter and the labor and delivery process, and would appreciate nothing more than your unwavering support and encouragement. It's scary to think that you might be putting your child at risk before she's even born, and we can definitely use, and will immensely appreciate, your cheers and prayers.

So given this news, it sounds like July 28th may be induction day if Peanut doesn't show up sooner on her own. Don't hold your breath! Things can always change, and the 28th still may not end up being Peanut's actual birthday. Little girl may also decide she doesn't like to be scheduled and just show up on her own. However, July 28th is a heck of a lot closer (relatively speaking) than August 6th. It's pretty much two and a half weeks away. Luckily, with the exception of a few more things to throw into our hospital bag, we are READY! Now we just wait and see how things go and hope for smooth sailing from here on out!

That's probably enough updates for this week! Since I'm visiting the doctor weekly now, I'll have more news to share after next week's appointment, and perhaps more information regarding the possibility of inducing labor.

Have a great weekend everybody!

35: Weeks Down & Days to Go

As promised, I'm back with the 35-week bump pic! Obviously not much new to update, but at least you'll have the pic to see how much change has happened in the last few days!!

Remember early on, when I put on cute clothes and did my hair and makeup for my bump pics? Yeah laziness has pretty much done away with that these days, hehe. I'm also not feeling particularly motivated to turn on my hair dryer when its 85 degrees in the house.

At 35 weeks pregnant yesterday, there were officially only 35 days remaining until Peanut's due date. Crazy how that works, huh? The book tells me she's 18" long, which is probably a good approximation. Everyone thinks that because Jeff is so tall, Peanut will be pretty long when she's born, but it's not like Jeff came into the world six-feet tall. He grew the same as the rest of us, just a little more. So we'll see how long she actually ends up being. I'd say somewhere in the 20-22" mark is probably pretty likely.

She also weighs in at approximately five-and-a-quarter pounds, even though to me she feels like she weighs ABOUT A HUNDRED POUNDS!!!! Carrying so much weight around is hard, and it's crazy that every time I think she must be done growing, I feel a little bigger the next day.

She definitely is running out of room in there, and I can tell because her movements are much more fluid-feeling. She doesn't have the room to punch and kick, and instead they are pressing and stretching motions into my stomach, usually my ribs. Often when I sit for a while, like out to dinner or something, she'll stretch into my ribs the entire time to let me know she's uncomfortable being squished. As if I have it any easier here on the outside! Both she and I will be glad when she's got plenty of space to move and stretch and isn't confined to mama's tummy anymore.

I wish I could tell you we have big Fourth of July plans this weekend, but we really don't. Tomorrow we'll meet up with Jeff's class and hang out downtown at the local festival eating tasty food and watching fireworks, and then we'll probably spend the rest of the weekend just hanging out. It is supposed to be warm, so hopefully we'll get plenty of outdoor time. We broke down and bought a kidding pool today, and I'm looking forward to spending some time in it this weekend. Jeff's got the day off Monday also, so we've got an extra long weekend. Yay!!

Another round of Childbirth Classes tonight, although I can't quite remember what we're covering. Last week was all the breathing shenanigans, but I find it hard to believe anyone actually remembers to use those when the time comes. I'm looking forward to touring the Family Birthing Center next week, and getting a better idea of what the environment will be like where Peanut is born.

I suppose that's about it for this week! Next week I'll have a new weekly pic, plus some updates from the doc. Hopefully a better idea about when Peanut will show up, and more info about the process from here on out.

Until next time!

34 Weeks: Feelin' the Love!

Yes, yes, I realize I've been gone a while. It's been almost two weeks since my last post, which sucks for those of you who check for new ones regularly (which, apparently, is a lot of you...haha).

I'm six days late with this post, but here's my 34-week bump pic, taken from my baby shower at home this past weekend:

I did my photo a little bit different this week because I found a bunch of cool chalkboard fonts online that I wanted to try out, so I made a virtual chalkboard instead of my usual one and put it with the photo. Looks okay I guess, but it ended up being a lot more trouble than it was worth, so I think I'll stick to my normal chalkboard. Only five more to go!

I'm feeling particularly pregnant these days, and certainly noticing some of the discomfort of pregnancy, although I try not to complain too much. I know there are a lot of women out there who contend with a lot more than the discomfort I feel, so I should be grateful I've got it as (relatively) easy as I do.

I had my Oregon baby shower this past weekend - what a great time! It was so nice to see some of my friends from childhood, girls I've worked with at Oregon State, and other friends and family who traveled to visit with me and celebrate our little Peanut girl. She certainly is WELL LOVED!! Thank you to those of you who came (or wanted to!) I very sincerely appreciate it. And a HUGE thank you to my Auntie and Mom for putting on such a wonderful little party. The food was delicious, the punch was tasty and the atmosphere festive. It really was a great time.

Baby showers are funny. You hear your friends and family talk about how excited they are for your child, and you know that they are, but then to see their generosity with their time and their gifts, and watch their faces when they tell you how much they're looking forward to meeting your little one, it's amazing. I really cannot believe how loved this little girl already is by so many people. She is beyond blessed to come into such a huge network of love and support, and Jeff and I are beyond grateful for each of you. You don't have to love our daughter as much as we do, but it seems as though you do anyway. Incredible.

I had a visit with my doc last Wednesday, and everything went pretty much as expected. It seems she's no longer very concerned with the preeclampsia, given that I'm not "spilling proteins" (Google that if you need more explanation...) but she did say she still believes that Peanut will arrive around 37 or 38 weeks. I didn't do a great job of asking for clarification on why she thinks Peanut will come early, but that is my main mission at my next appointment (a week from tomorrow for those of you who are curious). If she truly does arrive around week 37 or 38, that's only 2-3 weeks from tomorrow, which means Jeff and I need to kick our prep into high gear. We are mostly ready, but do still need to pack our hospital bag, install her car seat, and generally make sure we and our  home are ready for our daughter.

No doc appointments this week, but this is my last "week off" from visits. Starting next week, I'll see the doc every week until Peanut arrives to check my progress and just generally asses how things are moving along. This means I'll have even more to update you about! Hopefully...

After a fun few days at home in Corvallis visiting friends and family, I'm glad to be back in Klamath Falls for a while. It feels like I've done quite a bit of traveling in the last few months, and I'm looking forward to taking it easy until Peanut arrives. Undoubtedly once she's here, there'll be few relaxing moments.

I suppose that's about it for this week. I'm technically 35 weeks tomorrow, so I'll try and post another photo maybe Thursday (although at this rate, they probably won't look much different).

It's 89 degrees outside as I write this - at 8:30 at night - so I'll be spending the evening in front of the window hoping for a breeze. Air conditioning is a rare thing in Oregon, so we're stuck with fans and wind. Not that I'm complaining...

Toodles!

33 Weeks: Putting A Face To A Name

I have a feeling all my posts from now on are going to take on the same tone of nervous excitement. Peanut is going to be here soon, whether Jeff and I are ready or not. Granted, we feel ready, and I think if she showed up tomorrow we'd be alright. But that doesn't mean she should.

Do you hear me little one? You stay in there and keep growing for as long as you need to, okay?

At 33 weeks, little Peanut is growing like a weed. Or at least it sure feels like she is. She moves almost constantly, which means I regularly have the pleasure of feeling little feet in my ribs and little fists in my side. Sometimes it feels like shes somersaulting, and it takes my breath away for a second. No matter how long she's been growing in my belly, I don't think I'll ever get totally used to some of the strange sensations that happen when you're sharing your body with another person, even if that other person is very, very little. I'm glad she's moving around though, I'd prefer that to a lazy baby. At least I know she's active!

I had an additional ultrasound yesterday to check on Peanut's size and growth. Normally the last ultrasound of a low-risk pregnancy is the "anatomy" scan at around 20 weeks, but because my doctor was concerned about preeclampsia, she wanted to look again and make sure Peanut is a normal size and all is well. Here are a couple shots from the scan yesterday:

Peanut's face from the front. She's so cute, right?

Side profile shot.

I realize ultrasounds are, for the most part, ugly and unclear photos. Frankly sometimes I'm shocked at how much the ultrasound techs can decipher from what looks like static to me. It was a little eerie to see her this far into the pregnancy. Even at 21 weeks, she didn't appear too much like a baby. She had all the main features, but they're so much more developed now that she looks like a little person. Not so much in these pictures, they don't really do her justice. I'm convinced she'll be a doll though.

And if she's not, just lie to me and tell me she is, mm'kay?

Most importantly, after all the measurements were taken and averaged, the ultrasound tech told me Peanut is measuring at about 33 weeks and 5 days, so about 5 days "big." I'll have to see what the doctor says about this when I go again next week, but it definitely rules out the small baby doc was worried about. I'm thinking this might ease her fears about preeclampsia and she may reevaluate her idea that baby girl will need to come early.

I can't say I'm surprised she's a little big (and I'm pretty sure this isn't terribly uncommon), because I still feel like a whale. Sometimes I look down and I'm amazed at just how big my belly has gotten. Wasn't it just yesterday I was wondering if strangers could tell that I'm pregnant? No doubt these days, haha.

(Random side note: to this point, I have still managed to avoid any uninvited belly rubs. At this point, I'm considering myself the champ of whatever facial expression it is that says "Do NOT touch my belly.")

Here's the 33-week bump pic:

 Thankfully the ultrasound tech also confirmed that Peanut is still a girl! Thank goodness.

I would've been in so much trouble if she were now a boy, somehow. I've got enough pink to outfit ten little girls for a lifetime, haha.

My iPhone app says shes the side of a cauliflower, but I myself have never seen an 18" cauliflower, so I doubt that's a good size reference. I think for the most part she probably just looks like a small baby. A VERY CUTE small baby. =)

We also start our "childbirth classes" tonight, and I'm interested to see how that goes. With so much information out there so readily available, I'm not sure there's too much they can teach us that we don't already know, but it'll be good to tour the birthing center, hear about some recommended techniques for labor and delivery, and maybe meet some other people in the same boat as us. Perhaps I'll write another update about that tomorrow, but only if it's terribly exciting.

I visit the doctor again on Tuesday for my 34-week checkup, and I'm sure we'll discuss Peanut's size and doc's thoughts about the preeclampsia. This will be the first doctor appointment I go to without Jeff, which makes me a little sad. By some miracle, he's been able to attend every single appointment we've had, and I think he's really liked being able to participate in the whole process. But since he just started training, he wasn't able to go with me to the ultrasound yesterday, and will probably miss all of our doctor appointments from now on. I suppose as long as he's there for the last one that's all that really matters.

I think that's about it as far as updates from this past week. I'll check back in soon with more updates!

32 Weeks: 8 Months Down, 8 Weeks to Go

Oy! This is definitely going faster than I'd previously thought.

Could be because we've been relatively busy the last week (camping! yay!) but also because the reality is setting in that there just isn't that much time before Peanut arrives. I was telling Jeff just today that there are all these things I want to do this summer now that we're back in Oregon, but I'm starting to realize our baby-less weekends are limited in number, and the second half of our summer in Southern Oregon is basically shot with a newborn. So much to do, so little time!

Perhaps my eagerness to do some of these things is contributing to my fabulous attitude (yes, I said it, I had a fabulous attitude) about things like going camping 31 weeks pregnant. Not a lot of women would sleep on an air mattress in a tent in the woods when they're as pregnant as I am, but I am so excited to be back in Oregon and be able to do these things I've grown up loving to do, that I really can't complain. Here are a couple photos from our camping adventure this past weekend at Lake of the Woods, courtesy of Jeff:

We had SPLENDID weather the whole time, which is pretty unusual when camping in Oregon, especially this early.

(Yes, June is "early" in Oregon for summertime activities. The water is still waaaaaaayyyy too cold to swim in, and it still gets pretty cold at night. Late July/early August is the ideal time for outdoor activities.)

We're hoping to get in at least one more camping trip before Peanut comes, if we can find the time. And if we feel inclined, and think we can make it work, we may try to take her once after she's born. That's a big MAYBE though (I can hear my mom laughing at my naive intentions...)

In other news, as of yesterday, we're officially 32 weeks pregnant, or eight months, by my math. That means we've got eight weeks left.

Eight. Weeks.

That's 56 days. IF she makes it to her due date.

Wowzer. It's coming faster and faster. Here's the 32-week pic:

I feel freakin' HUGE and I know I don't have it quite as bad as those smaller girls with smaller torsos (yes, Tiff, that's you).

I don't expect my shape to change too much more, but I'm sure the bump will get a bit bigger. At roughly 17", Peanut is just about at her birth length, but still has another few pounds to pack on. Hopefully not the additional 4.5 my mom is predicting. I don't want a heifer for a baby, for obvious reasons.

This Sunday will be Jeff's last Father's Day before he's a "real" father (his words, not mine) and I think he's excited. He'll be the best Dad, and I'm excited for our Peanut girl to have such a great Daddy.

Not much else in terms of updating, I'm scheduled for my ultrasound next Wednesday at the 33-week mark, so I may have some more accurate measurements of our little nugget after that. Right now, it's pretty much just averaging what all my different books and phone apps tell me in terms of her stats. It'll be nice to know for sure. I'll try and post a pic of the ultrasound too if they give me one. Just seven weeks before her due date, I imagine she'll look pretty baby-ish. We shall see.

That's probably about it for today, if I think of anything else exciting to share with you, I'll come back with another post!

Happy Thursday!

31 Weeks!

It's Friday, and today is a big day for a couple of reasons.

First, time to post the 31-week bump photo! Jeff and I were looking back last night at my 28-week photo and noting that I'm quite a bit bigger just four weeks later. I expect this rate of growth to continue, as Peanut packs on her last few pounds (I'm told about half a pound of fat each week) and stretches out her last few inches.

Here's this week's photo:

Another reason today is a big day is that it's June 6th. Peanut is due August 6th. That means we're basically just two months away now from meeting our daughter. It feels like it's coming up so quick (how will we ever be ready?) but at the same time, I'm excited to meet her and see what this little girl is all about.

Her nearly-constant movements in my belly make me think she's a spunky little thing, but she could just be annoyed that she's running out of room. How big the world will be when she's finally here! I bet she'll want to be back in her warm quiet space. Hopefully lots of cuddles can remedy that.

We visited the doctor again for our "30 week" check up which was actually more like the "32 week" check up. We won't see her again until 34 weeks, and then again at 36, when we'll start going weekly for the last month.

So far, Jeff has been able to accompany me to every single appointment we've had, which has been great. He's been engaged and has been able to participate in the whole process. I'm not sure that will continue once he starts his new training, but I'm glad he's been along for the ride so far. These days appointments are just measuring the size of my belly ("like a textbook" according to my doctor), and checking the protein in my urine (over-share!). She didn't seem as concerned this time around about the preeclampsia, so I'm hoping I'll be able to avoid that. I have a habit of fixing my health issues rather quickly, so I wouldn't be surprised if I'm able to stave it off.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this already or not, but we also have an ultrasound scheduled for week 33 to make sure Peanut is the right size. With the doc's concerns about preeclampsia, she wants to make sure that baby is measuring to size (or larger is also possible...oy) and that she's not small due to potential preeclampsia. I'm sure she'll measure up just fine, like I said, she's been textbook so far. But I am excited to see her little face again and get an even better idea of what she looks like.

Finally, today is also a big day because it's ENJJPT Class 14-06's Drop/Assignment Night. I have a few good friends in 14-06, and they were our "changeover" class in ENJJPT, meaning they followed Jeff's class through the program and took over each flight room as Jeff's class moved on to the next phase. I am especially excited for my adorable friend Tiffany, who at almost 38 weeks pregnant is powering through this nerve-wracking and emotional time like a champ. We've been hoping her baby girl holds out until at least after Drop Night, and it looks like that's going to happen, barring any "events" this evening during the program (yes, I'm knocking on wood right now). She's going to have quite the exciting next few weeks, with Drop Night and Graduation, and likely a new baby in between the two. So excited for her.

Jeff and I are headed off on another adventure today, camping this weekend at Lake of the Woods. He's been eager to go camping ever since...okay, he's always eager to go camping, so we're making the trip while he's still got time before training starts (and before Peanut arrives). Lake of the Woods isn't terribly far, maybe an hour or so; it's nice that something so beautiful is basically right in our own back yard. Unfortunately, I won't have WiFi to Skype in for drop night, so I'll have to settle for text messages and phone calls. It'll be nice to spend some time away though, and hopefully catch a couple...fish for Jeff, rays for me. :)

Time to get the car packed up and get on our way! Have a great weekend everyone!

What A Difference 20 Weeks Makes...

Check it out! Here's a side-by-side view of my 10-week and 30-week bump photos. What a difference 20 weeks makes, huh? Little girl sure has grown big!

 

Should be able to post our 31-week photo later this week also!

After a great long weekend at home in Corvallis, we're back in Klamath Falls and ready for our "30 week" check up with our new doctor tomorrow. I'm interested to see what she has to say, and if her thoughts on my health and Peanut's arrival have changed any.

This is just a quick check-in post, but I must congratulate my friend Jill on the birth of her baby boy this morning. I am absolutely over the moon for her, and if anyone was ever put on this earth to be a mother, it's Jill. I can't wait to meet the little guy and hope he and Peanut can be great friends one day.

Or at least those awkward friends where your parents kind of force you into it because THEY are great friends and you only see that person like three times your whole life but your parents still think it's just swell without realizing you don't quite get on with this perfect stranger like they do with his/her parents.

I hope they can at least be those friends.

Time to watch the Beavs beat UC Irvine to win their Regional and advance to Supers!!

Nighty night!