Day 55: All My Bags Are Packed . . .

 

I'm ready to go . . . to the hospital on a moment's notice.  My hospital bag is packed and includes my clothes as well as blankets and a coming home outfit for Baby  Boy.  (When asked for ideas for boys' names, B suggested the name Snowball, and though we have other names in mind, I thought I might just start referring to the baby as Snowball rather than "Baby Boy").  We also packed a bag for B (for the hospital and/or overnight at my in-laws) and J.  Lastly, we got all the clothes, blankets, towels, carriers, and other baby equipment washed, thanks to my mother-in-law.  This afternoon J helped me fold and sort everything (even B got in on the action, and enjoyed mating "the cute little socks" and looking through all his old outfits).  Then we got everything put away in "Snowball's" new dresser.  So it was a productive day after Church activities earlier today (excuse B's mismatched pajamas, he has another cold and dressed himself "like Christmas").  It's nice to know we're prepared, but now that we are, I'm assuming I will be carrying "Snowball" full-term (despite the contractions I have off and on) and won't need my bags packed for weeks.

 

Day 54: Man Enough

 

As I've mentioned, I've been working through my "to do before baby is born" list, especially while things are pretty quiet contraction-wise, as they have been today. But I still want to be prepared. So today while I finished our taxes (they just need a final review before being sent off), J went to the store and got the remaining baby essentials so I can stock drawers, pack diaper and hospital bags, and have a place ready for when Baby Boy comes home. J was even man enough to get the girly things I need postpartum like nursing pads. How great is that? Our Pack N' Play with bassinet hasn't come in yet, but should be here next week, as should our blue baby bath tub (the store only had pink in stock today). The baby clothes and equipment has all been washed and tomorrow I'll work on folding it and putting it away and packing bags so we're ready for Baby Boy when he gets here. I'm glad we're getting things done and that J has been so helpful during this stressful time. We also appreciate the prayers and support of family members. At this rate, I could go full term, but we'll see. I just know Baby and I have gotten this far through faith and prayers, and we're thankful you keep sending them our way, especially when we know we have it easy compared to the hardships other people in our lives have been called to go through at this time. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Day 53: Kind of a Field Trip

When I was still contracting this morning after taking my anti-contraction medication and a sleeping pill last night, I made a doctor's appointment.  I am having contractions, but they're not doing a whole lot to change and dilate my cervix, which is good at this point because I'm still hoping we can hold out for another few weeks.  Unfortunately it looks like I will be contracting like this off and on until my real labor starts, so I'll be very uncomfortable before this baby comes.   In my pregnancy with B, I was already dilated to a 3 at this point, so I'm holding out better, but it looks like I'll be one of those ladies who is in inactive/early labor for a long time.  The discomfort is worth it though, if we can have a healthy baby.   My doctor said to postpone the field trip until next week because of the contractions, so J and I stopped for Buffalo Wild Wings on our way home.  It was sort of a field trip. . . sort of.

     

Day 52: Don't Feel Up to Much

I have had lots of contractions and menstrual-like cramping in the last 24 hours.  I am one uncomfortable mama-to-be.  In fact, I slept most of the day today just so I could bear them.  I didn't feel like doing much (though I finished writing out my to-do list and my shopping list for the baby preparations, so if I can't get those things done, someone else can).  Earlier this week I planned to take my little field trip today, but because of the contractions, I opted to stay home in bed.  We'll take the field trip tomorrow or Saturday and go to a restaurant and to pick up our Pack N' Play.  I know . . . I'm a dud, my first chance to really go out, and I chose to stay here and keep laying on my left side.   But I just didn't want to push my luck with these contractions and being slightly dilated already. I hope the contractions are not really doing anything and won't get more regular.  I'll be taking an Ambien in a few minutes so I can get through the night and hopefully relax my uterus a little bit and stop these contractions.  34 1/2 weeks is great, but I'm getting greedy and going for 37. While I know there are many people with bigger concerns than we have, between the preterm labor and J's job interview tomorrow, we'd appreciate your prayers.

J bought this cute onesie and it made me smile through the contractions.

Day 51: 34 Week Pregnancy

B talking to his baby brother and telling the baby about himself:  "I'm five years old.  I wear glasses.  I have fun movies for you to watch" after we told him that the baby's hearing is fully developed this week. 

How far along:  34 weeks and 2 days
Weight gain: 1 1/2 pounds this week, measuring 33 1/2 weeks (likely because Baby is so low in my pelvis already)
How big is baby:  Baby Boy is hopefully about 5 pounds  
Move­ment:  Now that he has less room, this boy likes being in my ribs.  I feel him roll around and can often identify a bum, a foot, or a hand protruding from my tummy.
Mater­nity clothes:  Still in maternity clothes with even my longer shirts getting a little short to cover my growing belly. 
Stretch marks: J noticed some new ones this week, yuck!
Belly But­ton (in or out?): Still in

Wed­ding Rings (on or off): Still on
How I’m feeling:  Glad to still be pregnant, but ready to get off of bed rest in twelve days; there is so much to be done.
Symptoms:  My cervix is stable though short and a tiny bit dilated (doctor didn't want to press the issue).   I'm having occasional contractions (Braxton Hicks as well as real ones), some pelvic pressure, and some round ligament pain.  Though I'm getting more uncomfortable, I'm willing to hang in there as long as this baby is. 
Sleep:  Sleep is getting harder and harder because I can't get comfortable easily, and I'm staying up later and later. 
Cravings:  Lately fruit (which is much better than fries and cheese sticks).
Food Aversions:  Dairy products are a little much for me lately, but I keep eating/drinking them.
What I Miss:  Being able to get up and do the things I want to do is the biggest thing I miss.  I also miss sleeping comfortably, going out, being able to get on the floor to play with Bryson, playgroup, going to Church, cooking, cleaning, etc.
Hardships this week:  Feeling an urgency to get ready for this baby (nesting syndrome?), but not being able to get up and do all the things I want to do 

Highlights this week:  Listening to B talk to his brother in my tummy.  I also liked getting ready for baby (sorting clothes, directing J about how to set up the boys' room, getting furniture put together, etc.) and feeling more prepared to bring Baby Boy home. 

What I'm looking forward to:  My wheelchair field trip in the next day or two, getting off of bed rest soon, not being pregnant six weeks (or less) from now. 

J sorted all the preemie-3 months outfits into piles for me.

Day 50: So Much To Do

  

I can hardly believe that today marks my fiftieth day of bed rest. I've had a lot of time lately and honestly, not all of that time has been productive (I've spent a lot of time on the computer surfing the Internet, playing games, and watching TV). But now that I'm 34 weeks along, the pressure to be prepared for Baby Boy's arrival has hit. We knew B would probably arrive early, so we had his car seat, bed, and clothes ready even though he was in the NICU for five days and wasn't able to come home with us right away. We don't know exactly when this baby will arrive and be able to come home, but we'd like to be ready whenever he does. So for the last few days, J and I have been gathering and sorting baby clothes and blankets to wash, packing diaper and hospital bags, ordering baby items from Amazon, and putting together some baby furniture (like our old car seat that's been in storage and our new Graco Little Lounger).

Since we had B almost six years ago, we gave A LOT of our baby items away and some of our stuff got damaged or is now outdated, so we need to repurchase a few things for this baby. We need a new stroller (the plastic wheels on our old one are bent) and a Pack N Play with bassinet attachment which we'll use in place of the crib to save some room in our apartment. We also need a few other things (like a baby bath and a diaper pail) that aren't as pressing, as well as some little things like pacifiers. I also need to find a pediatrician I'm happy with, figure out how to add the baby to our insurance, and do a few other things to feel prepared.  Once we get the tubs of clothes and equipment washed and have a bed for him to sleep in, I'll feel better. Right now I'm making lists of must-haves so that, worse case scenario, J can pick them up, but J is working this week and has a job interview on Friday (keep him in your prayers because he needs this job) so they might just have to wait.  Baby's arrival is getting closer and closer (even if he's not born early, which is our hope), so I'm hoping to be able to get all these things taken care of before Baby comes because there sure seems to be a lot to do. I better get on it.

Day 49: 34 Weeks, The Countdown Begins

Today I am 34 weeks pregnant and the countdown is officially on.  I have 14 more days of bed rest (if all goes well and the baby doesn't come before that).  After seven weeks of bed rest so far, two weeks seem very doable (though I doubt they'll pass any quicker than previous bed rest days).  I'm also looking forward to a wheelchair field trip this week (after I get the doctor's OK tomorrow).  I'm still not completely decided on where I want to go, but I'm thinking that on Thursday night, we'll be going to our favorite Mexican food restaurant and to check out car seats (our infant seat is nearly outdated) and Pack N Plays at Babies R Us.  I'll report on the field trip later this week, but I'm definitely excited.    

 

I'm glad that my contractions haven't become regular and that my cervix has stayed stable for the last six weeks and thus Baby Boy has stayed put.  34 weeks is a great milestone because Baby has an excellent chance of survival and will likely face few health effects.  Right now the baby is putting on weight, learning to suck, and developing his lungs.  This pregnancy is still going strong, and I'm not giving up anytime soon, as I don't want to deliver a second premature baby.  One preterm baby was hard enough, and Bryson was only mildly premature.  B came at 35 weeks, just one week from now.  At that point I'd gone back and forth from the hospital several times because I  was already dilated to a 4 1/2 and had been having contractions one to two minutes apart all week.  The doctor broke my water because my labor was progressing so slowly and I was in A LOT of pain.  B had jaundice and was in the NICU for five days to learn to eat.  Having a premature baby in the NICU was a very difficult experience that I do not want to repeat, so That was a very difficult experience that I do not want to repeat, so I wouldn't get my water broken this time around, thus giving this baby as much time as possible. I'm hoping that given a similar situation this pregnancy, doctors will be able to control my pain until this baby is actually ready for delivery.  Each day counts, so as long as Baby Boy is willing to hang out, so am I.  Now it's on to 35 weeks, and then AT LEAST 36.    

Highlights of Week Thirty-Four (32 week fetal age):

A baby at 34 weeks gestation (not our baby)   Baby's length is 17+ inches and baby's weight is between 4 3/4 and 5 pounds (about the size of a bag of sugar) Baby sleeps in 20-40 minute periods and could be dreaming in utero. Baby is moving around less frequently, mostly because of the cramped quarters.  I can feel even the slightest movement since Baby Boy is right up against the uterine wall, and I'm getting pretty good at guessing which body part (foot? elbow? arm?) is protruding. Regardless of the eye color Baby Boy will end up with, right now his eyes are blue. The pigmentation process in his iris won't be complete until his eyes have been exposed to light for several weeks after birth. His final eye color may not be evident for years. Baby is head down in pelvis to prepare for delivery. His testicles are now descending from his abdomen into his scrotum (a reason Baby Boy needs to get through this week). Baby will gain about half a pound this week and fat tissue is accumulating so Baby's arms and legs are starting to fill out.  Fat accumulation will help him regulate his temperature after birth. Hearing is fully developed (We've been talking to him for weeks now, and B always tells him goodnight). Although Baby's central nervous system is still maturing, his lungs are nearly fully developed (boys' lungs do generally take longer to develop than girls' however). Eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. Fingernails are almost completely formed. Lanugo, the baby fuzz that protects baby's skin in utero is starting to disappear. The cheese-like coating on baby's skin, vernix caseosa, is getting thicker to keep Baby moisturized for the big day. Hair (or peach fuzz) continuing to grow on head.  The baby’s skeleton is hardening (though skull bones won't fully fuse together until early adulthood, when brain and head has done all is growing).