Week 39: I'm Not Nesting, I'm Bored Out Of My Mind!

Quick Recap: Weight has plateaued. Been sitting at 165 for a few weeks now. Belly is about 42 inches around. ALERT ALERT! Too much information coming at you in 3...2...1... Cervix is soft and dilated about 1cm. Lots of braxton hicks. Sleeping kinda sucks. Peeing way more than last week. Found more stretch marks.

Peanut's Progression: At this point Wiggles is just hanging out and enjoying the ride. More neural connections are made everyday but let's be real, he/she is just fuckin around in there, punching my cervix and kicking my ribs. Happy as a clam. And the lil bugger hasn't really dropped deep enough into my pelvis to start labour. Maybe tomorrow?

Maternity Leave = Bored as Hell = Nesting (or so I'm told)

Saturday marked my first day of maternity leave and naturally I found a million things to do! While I was still working I cherished my couple days off and chose to do little to nothing, now that I have literally nothing to do except relax I clearly have to do anything else BUT relax!

I managed to clean the whole kitchen, which doesn't mean put away dishes and wipe the counters. It means wipe all the cabinets and handles, wash and bleach the garbage bin, reorganize some cabinets, wipe down every appliance etc etc etc. Then of course there was laundry to do. And while I was at it I made sure to vacuum and then obviously noticed that the hall closet was in disrepair and would not function with our winter coats front and center. I refolded every towel and sheet, and reordered our coats for spring.

So tell me again what this nesting business is? Ok ok I know I'm nesting but part of this really is because I'm so bored. People keep telling me to rest but c'mon do you really expect me to park my ass on the couch for 12 hours a day watching tv or reading? That is NOT going to happen. Besides, I'm pregnant not sick. I may be slower and walk more like a penguin than I did before but I'm feeling great and may as well take advantage!

Cook, Cook, Cookin up a Storm!

What else do you do when you're bored and cleaning doesn't sound appealing, COOK! Make a crap load of freezer meals for those days when you aren't functioning well enough to even boil water.

For about $100, I made approximately 15 servings of meat lasagna, 6 servings of chicken cacciatore and 8 servings of beef chili. So that averages about $3.50 a serving. I'm sure if we added coupons to the mix we could have made it cheaper but I'm just happy to have a stock of food that just need to be defrosted and put in the oven (not the chili though).

Just today I made some healthy muffins too. Loaded up with zucchini and carrot! We'll pop those in the freezer too and will be great for a quick snack. 

Mirrors Are NOT Your Friend

I haven't seen my lady bits in months nor can I see my belly below what used to be my cute innie of a belly button. Which by the way, is SO popped that its actually flat now!

So before you get this visual of me trying to see my lady bits, that isn't where I'm going with this! I decided I needed to know for sure if I also had stretch marks (as I suspected I did) below my belly button. Since my skin is so stretched right now it's tough to tell but the stretch marks are shiny so if you get the light right you can see whats going on. I never should have grabbed that mirror. Of course I was right and I have a whole bunch of shiny squiggly lines below my belly button. I'm only left wondering what they will look like once my skin isn't a taute as a face lift gone wrong.

Breastfeeding Class

Fraser Health offers a 2 hour FREE breastfeeding class. It fills up quickly so I would recommend booking yourself in a about 3 months ahead of time.

It is super informative and full of great tips and tricks and really explains all the benefits of breastfeeding. My one criticism is that it really pushes only breastfeeding and discourages any kind of supplementation including breast milk in a bottle.

Obviously a breast feeding class is going to push "breast is best" and push it hard however I do think it can put some unnecessary pressure on Mom to feel like she has to be exclusively breast feeding for at bare minimum 6 months and if she doesn't then she is failing her baby. I hope to avoid formula at all costs because I would rather feed my baby what she/he is meant to have from nature. That being said, I also want the freedom to have a break and for Steve to enjoy feedings as well. I fully intend to pump so that we can share the responsibility of feeding and so that if I want to do back to back yoga classes I can do that because there will be a bottle of breast milk for the babe at home with Daddy.

I suppose I would leave you with one thought, sign up for informational purposes but in the end take it all with a grain of salt and remember, you need to do what is best for you and your baby and your family as a whole. And if that isn't what 1 person preaches, that is ok!


8 days left, but who's counting?!

Week 38: Counting Down!

Quick Recap: Uber emotional. No weight gain. Grease monkey hair. Car seat installed.

Peanut's Progression: Doc estimates the baby is about 6.25lbs. Should be around 19-20 inches. Still just getting chubby and bigger each day.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Oh! Hi there pregnancy hormones! I've missed you! NOT!!! On Monday, for absolutely NO reason, I could not contain my tears. Any remotely sad song, cry. Think about our baby, cry. Something good happens, cry. Something not so good happens, cry. Cry cry cry cry cry!

This whole week my emotions have been quite topsy turvy. Happy one moment and depressed the next. Thankfully the happy moments outweigh the sad ones.

Give Me My Old Clothes Back!

I just want to wear my old clothes again! I've been wearing the same 5 tank tops for the past 6 months and I am SO OVER IT! Leggings, while SO comfortable. OVER IT! Give me back my skinny jeans!!! Maternity clothes are some of the most comfortable items I've ever owned but I can't wait to go shopping in my own closet again! There are so many great dresses and tops and JEANS I want to wear again.

Obviously I know that it will take a bit more time after baby arrives for those clothes to fit again but it will be nice to be one step closer.

Just a Grease Monkey

I'm not sure if its a weather thing or a hormone thing but for the past week I can no longer go more than 1 day without washing my hair. I'm assuming that using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is completely unnecessary since my body is secreting more oils than usual. I have really noticed in the past month or two the lack of shedding as well. I read early on that you don't lose hair while you are pregnant but it took a while for that to happen for me. Now, I quite literally do not lose any hair! Steve even commented that he's noticed it missing from his clothes.

Itchy and Numb

The worst thing ever when you are itchy is not being able to feel a scratch. The numbness probably started 2 weeks ago but I just started really noticing it this week. Back when I was 15 I had my appendix removed, after the surgery I was left with some minor spots of numbness on my stomach that eventually went away. Until now. Although this time around it has nothing to do with surgery and everything to do with this big round belly!

As your belly grows your spine curves more to offset your posture so that you don't fall over. This correction can sometimes pinch nerves and cause numbness. The area around my bellybutton is now completely numb and let me just tell you, when my skin gets itchy, there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to feel a nice scratch sensation to relieve that itch.

The Glider Fiasco

Finally our glider chair has arrived. The first one we ordered came very badly damaged so we sent it back. Sadly the colour combination is out of stock everywhere, even directly from the manufacturer. We settled on a light denim cushion and white wood. It's a bit more blue than I would have liked but at this point I am just happy to have something comfy to sit in for future feedings and cuddle times.

2 weeks left.... c'mon lil baby time to get out!

Week 37: Wow! This Baby sure is Loved!

The favour I made for the Baby Shower

Quick Recap: 164lbs (up 39lbs from prepregnancy). Feeling big and awkward. Group B Strep negative (whoo!). Labour and delivery class. Hospital tour. Baby Shower!! :)

Peanut's Progression: Officially full term (ok time to come out now!).19.25 inches. 6.3lbs. All organs ready for the outside world.

Labour and Delivery Class

The only thing my doctor has really hounded me about is signing up for a labour and delivery class. At $50 a couple I was hesitant because I figured I could just read it all on the internet. I ended up signing us up for the class and it was well worth the $50.

If you will be delivering at Langley I highly recommend you take this class (I'll put the contact details below). Two nurses (Trudy and Sandra) teach it and they are just fabulous! They have both been working in the maternity ward of Langley for 10+ years and are very funny and sweet.

A lot of the information given I already had a good idea about (mostly because of my pregnancy app obsession) but it was a great refresher and reminder that all my questions and concerns are totally normal. The most impactful part of the class was learning that my goals for birth are very closely aligned with those of the hospital. They want to keep baby and mom and dad together as much as possible. They even wait for the cord to stop pulsing before cutting it (I was shocked that they adopted this idea and it seems to be a more midwife/naturalistic viewpoint).

You will leave with a much clearer understanding of what to expect and probably feel more confident too!

If you are interested in taking their class (and are delivering at Langley Memorial Hospital) their number is: 604-229-2241

Hospital Tour

This was mediocre. It started off with a bitter taste in my mouth because of a nurse in maternity. I was told when I booked the tour to go to the maternity ward, so I did. I was greeted not so pleasantly by a nurse who told me (as if I should know) I needed to go to the basement. Well I don't know about you but thankfully, I haven't been in that hospital for 8 ish years, and I have no idea what floor you consider the basement. Sometimes I think staff at hospitals forget that this is a place most people (hopefully) don't have to visit very often and they probably have NO idea where anything is.

Anywho, once I finally made it to the correct room the nurse leading the tour was, well, more like one of those teachers you hated in high school. Instead of telling you what you needed to know, she insisted on asking everyone. "Who knows when to call the hospital?" "Do you swaddle babies still?" etc etc... It felt like high school all over again. I was more annoyed than usual because, well, let's recap... I'm 164lbs of big bulging belly, in short shorts because I can't help but sweat ALL THE TIME, I'm sticking to these vinyl seats because I wore shorts, my boobs are itching and I sure as hell won't be scratching in front of these strangers and my brain hardly functions regarding topics I know like the back of my hand. And you want me to answer questions about something YOU are the expert on?! Don't waste my time, just tell me what I need to know and show me where to waddle myself to.

The GOOD part about the tour was, well, the tour! It was nice to see the actual ward (even though its under renovation and could look totally different when I get there). We were shown really helpful things like where to keep our snacks and food, where hubby can get extra linens and ice packs for our tender bits after birth. Seeing the rooms was great too. I was surprised how spacious they are and I was SO excited to find it had a bath tub. Momma loves herself some baths so you best believe I'll be in that tub during labour. Now if only we could add a glass of wine to the mix!!

BABY SHOWER!!!

WOW! That is the only way I can start this section. I have never felt so loved or so special (except when Steve proposed of course). Until the past couple years I've always struggled to keep friendships alive. I didn't try very hard to keep in touch and also never felt that they put the effort in either. Something switched when I moved away and I got so much better at keeping in touch, maybe it was because I was so lonely living in a city where I knew no one. It was a change for the better and I must admit I just can't get over how much support I really have in my life.

As a self professed control freak it was SOOO hard to ignore the planning process and just let my girls take over. My bridesmaids took care of everything with some help from the grandma's to be and a few others. I can't express my awe at everything they did for me and baby. They remembered how much I've loved sour keys and used them as part of a game. They had a custom cake made with the PERFECT elephant to go on top. Filled the room with balloons and streamers and had so many delicious things to eat! Even got a whole pile of classic kids books and had guests write message in them.

Speaking of guests, I had no idea so many people would want to come and celebrate our little baby with me. I was truly touched by how generous our guests were and how truly thoughtful their gifts were. My only regret is not being able to talk to everyone more. I sat that night reading through the messages guests wrote in books for Wiggles and felt guilty for missing out on some of our guests. I can only reassure myself that there will be plenty of visits once the lil monkey is here and lots of time to talk then.

I've entered the last 3 weeks of this journey with a very full heart (and belly, that cake was SO yummy!)

Week 36: You're Putting That Q-Tip Where!?

Quick Recap: Weight 162lbs. Now weekly Dr. appointments. First stretch mark. Insatiable hunger. Friggen pelvis pain.

Peanut's Progression: Almost 19inches. 5.75 lbs. Head down still. Getting fatter every day.

Give Me More FOOOOOD!!!!

OMG I didn't know it was possible to feel so hungry! Thankfully I'm not like this everyday but my god there isn't enough food in the house to possibly satisfy my hunger.

According to the books, around this time I should experience "lightening" which basically just means the baby drops a bit and my stomach and lungs get more space again. I haven't really noticed any change in the shape of my belly but then again I've haven't carried high so I'm not sure I would notice anyways. If I really think about it, breathing isn't as challenging and I certainly can stuff WAY more food in my face now.

Stretch Marks

Don't worry Christina I'm not going to tear you to shreds here for pointing out my first stretch mark :). Despite my constant belly inspection I never noticed the new addition on my skin, perhaps I was too busy counting all the silly little bumps I have. I consider myself quite lucky that it took until 35 weeks for any stretch marks to show up but it doesn't mean I wasn't annoyed about it.

In fact the whole thing went down like this... "Ok thanks for coming over Stina! Have a great night." I close the door and immediately go to my bathroom and begin the inspections. "Stretch mark!? Where!? How could I have missed it!!! THERE IT IS! Mother fucker. Stupid friggen stretch mark" Cue the pouty face. I have a moment of distress over this stupid mark but then immediately let it go. Wow! I've made some serious progress. Weeks ago that pout would have turned into a full fledged ugly cry meltdown, probably resulting in spending the rest of the night lotioning up my stomach.

I blame my 16 year old self for getting a belly button ring. I took the piercing out several years ago but that ended up being exactly where the stretch mark showed up. Makes sense I suppose since there is scar tissue there not to mention the fact that my belly button couldn't possibly push out any farther from my stomach.

The good news is there are only 2 and they are less than an inch each and pretty hard to notice. 

Group B Strep Test

Short and sweet. WHY didn't any of the books mention this!? 36 weeks and you get a q-tip swabbed into places you would rather it not. I suppose at this point I really shouldn't be surprised by anything anymore.



Baby is full term next week!