Baby

Jen's Updates - Week 38

Sunday, April 6th, 2003 - 2 weeks before due date!

Wow, 38 weeks! 2 weeks early would not be unusual, to be sure! Any minute now, I could free this baby from my womb! I am getting the feeling now that when I call people that they are expecting me to tell them that I'm in labor or that the baby has been born. I try to very quickly establish that I'm just calling to say hello.

Warning, I imagine that the remaining updates may include information that some people might consider to be too much information. Things like losing my mucus plug (not a pretty sight) will be happening, and I will probably write about them! If you don't want to know that much about this experience or my private life, stop reading these updates!

Midwife Visit

As usual, everything seems to be going well. The best news is that my Strep B test is negative, so I don't need to have an IV during labor. Phew! I don't really even know what Strep B is, but if it was going to force me to have an IV, then I wanted nothing to do with it.

Cat said that the baby is in the correct position, and down so far that his head doesn't wiggle anymore when she tries to wiggle it. That's good! He's making progress downward!

Our midwives will NOT check for dilation or effacement until I am at 41 or 42 weeks. The state of your cervix is not at all a reliable indication of when you'll go into labor, so there is no reason to check it, although for some reason that has become a standard of care in typical obstetrical practice. Another common practice ( so Cat says ) is for the doctor to swipe his/her finger around the cervix to stimulate hormones that supposedly ensure that the mother does not become overdue. There isn't really any proof that this works, and she said that it is very uncomfortable for the mother to be! I'm glad that they don't do that!

Cat said that I should be practicing nipple stimulation, to bring on Braxton-Hicks contractions and release hormones into my body to soften my cervix so that it is ready for labor. She also suggested lots of sex, because semen contains the hormone proglastin, which also softens the cervix. If a woman's cervix is not dilating or effacing properly, or if she is too overdue, the first step they often take is to rub proglastin on the cervix to 'ripen' it.

Cat asked if we had written a birth plan. I tried to, but it just seemed really silly. I chose to use midwives because I like their philosophy and methods. There is nothing I would put in a birth plan that is contrary to what they plan to do (or not do) anyway. I may write one for the sole purpose of putting on the web page for archival purposes, but that seems (again) silly.

Preparations

My Hospital Bag

The house is getting readier and readier. I've actually packed my bag, though I'm sure there is more that will get put into it, so I haven't put it in my car, yet.

I need to go to the store and buy some food for us to take. Our hospital/midwives don't have any crazy rules about not eating during labor. The typical reason that hospitals don't allow women to eat during labor is in case they need emergency surgery. If there is food in your stomach, you could vomit it up or aspirate it because of the anesthesia. Well, considering how common emergency surgery is during childbirth, that makes about as much sense as not eating before you drive a car, because you might get into an accident! Not my analogy, but I like it.

The midwives say that I probably won't want to eat during labor because many women feel nauseated during labor, anyway. I do want food available if I need/want it, though. I'm thinking that I'll take Gatorade and Slimfast, and maybe peanut butter and crackers. I'll need to keep my energy up!

Baby Room

The baby room is all organized (finally!), with everything put away, and I think that we have everything that we need.

Our Room

Travis and Frank moved the cradle into our bedroom, so the baby can be close to us while he's sleeping. The blanket that is in there in the photo was made by Sheryl, the baby's grandmother (and Travis's mom).

Hospital Registration

We STILL have not pre-registered at the hospital. Evidently, there is only one person there that can do it, and she is pretty hard to get ahold of. We may end up doing it when I'm in labor, if we can't get an appointment scheduled soon!

Pediatrician

We still need to find a pediatrician.

Movement

The baby is still moving a lot, mostly when I'm working at my desk or lying down! He has gotten very pointy! By which I mean that the objects he is sticking into my belly are sharp feeling. Travis was surprised when he had his hand on my belly and the baby stuck something sharp out. Probably an elbow or knee. Or maybe he's practicing punching already!

I'm getting really tired of the baby having hiccups. He has them at least once every day, and it is very distracting. It feels like I have a tic, and there is no way to make it go away. I told Travis that, and he said, 'You do have a tick! A huge bloodsucking tick living inside your body!' Lovely image. Travis makes me laugh.

Symptoms

Insomnia

Well, it is 5:15 in the morning, and I'm writing a baby update, so that isn't a good sign. I did make it through several nights successfully, but that is by no means normal.

According to Travis, I've started snoring a lot. He says that it is pretty quiet and doesn't really bother him, but he knows I like to know these things. He also said that I am showing signs of sleep apnea, which I just read is pretty common in the third trimester because your lungs are so compressed. That's contributing to my tiredness, I'm sure.

In case you don't know what sleep apnea is, it is when you never really make it into deep (REM) sleep because you wake yourself up. Usually it is caused by breathing problems. You'll actually stop breathing for a moment because your airway closes, until your body realizes that it needs oxygen and gasps for air. You may not notice this happening (I know I don't), but it is enough to keep you out of deep sleep, and thus make you really tired, even when you think you've gotten enough hours of sleep. For people that have this as a chronic problem, they make machines that keep your airway open to prevent the problem, and I've heard that they work very well!

Stretch Marks

Evidently my stretch marks are getting worse. I can't see them, so I don't really know, but that's what Travis says. I told him to stop telling me about them, because I'll get to see them soon enough!

How Do I Feel?

OK, now I'm definitely uncomfortable. It sometimes hurts to walk around. My lower belly is sore, and my ankles are swollen. I always feel hungry, even when I've just eaten. I'm starting to ignore it. This is definitely a significant change from how I felt last week.

I think that my belly muscles are tired of supporting so much weight. I've actually worn my belly support band (which I usually only wear when I walk) several times to work, just because it is more comfortable. I'm not walking anymore, either, because it feels like it is stress on my belly muscles. When I stand up, I always hold my belly underneath to support it a little bit, to prevent it from feeling like he is spilling out the front. Not very comfortable!

OK, update on that. Once I stopped walking on my treadmill, I started feeling better. I may have just overdone it. I think that I need to keep walking, but make it more of a leisurely walk, rather than the power walking I was doing. I'll try that soon.

When the baby stretches, he is pushing on my cervix, which is a bit uncomfortable. It feels a little like menstrual cramps, for those of you who have experienced those. I believe that it is good, though, because that means that he is starting the process of dilating and effacing my cervix to make room for him to get through. I should be experiencing what is known as 'cervical jolts' very soon, which a friend of mine described as lightning striking your cervix. That might be what I'm feeling, but so far they aren't SO painful as all that. It has lasted a week for her, so far, and her midwife says that she'll deliver any day. Sounds great, doesn't it?

I can't sit with my thighs together anymore, nor can I cross my legs. My belly is so low and large that it gets in the way. Isn't that funny?

Other People's Babies

A woman that I know just gave birth a few nights ago. She was the one that I mentioned above as experiencing cervical jolts. She wasn't working during the pregnancy, so she had a lot of time to prepare. She went to prenatal yoga classes every day, and walked a lot, and read constantly about childbirth.

She had a homebirth with midwives. The labor was not particularly easy, as you'll see if you check it out. I'm sorry that her labor was not perfect, but it does make me feel a little better because I haven't had time to prepare as much as I might have liked to. I just am not convinced that it would make that big of a difference. We'll see, I suppose. After I've been through it once, I'll have a better idea what preparations might actually make a difference for me.

Anyway, it sounds like her baby (Victory Rose) entered the world in love and joy, and that is the most important thing!

Gifts

Travis and I went to pick up the glider that my parents and grandparents purchased for us. We had to have it ordered in because they didn't have it in the store, so I've been waiting anxiously for it! It is beautiful! I can't wait to sit in it and rock my baby to sleep! Our family room is getting crowded with furniture, though!

Our next door neighbor (Tonya) stopped by and brought a layette set for us. They had seen us at a homeowner's association meeting about four months ago, and thought that I might be pregnant, but were afraid that maybe I was just putting on weight, so didn't say anything. We obviously don't talk to our neighbors enough. They are excited for us, and I'm looking forward to taking walks with Tonya and Chandler!

Miscellaneous

Tonight (Friday), there was a tornado warning while Travis and I were at a meeting at school. We all went down to the shelter area in the basement to wait it out. One of the popular topics of conversation was whether or not I would go into labor while we were down there. I guarantee that I would have if we had been on a television show! That's how it always happens on TV! As it was, I did not, so I'm still pregnant.

Names

We watched 'The Ring' on Tuesday night. It was all right. It did not live up to the hype that we've heard about it. Anyway, the kid's name in the movie was Aiden, which Travis and I both really like. We are disappointed that it is SO popular right now, because it is a great name! It jumped from around 800 several years ago to 88 last year, and it is just getting more popular. In fact, it appears that many Irish/Gaelic names are very popular at the moment. We don't mind so much the idea of a common name, but we do want to try to avoid using a trendy name. Oh well... we'll keep thinking about it.

I met someone named Dorian the other day. He was really nice, and he said that it has been a fine name, except that some people have trouble figuring out how to pronounce it. He said that his name was never made fun of in school, which is nice to know. I wonder if meeting him was a sign that we should use that name. I'm surprisingly superstitious, sometimes.

We made a list of potential names to take to the hospital with us. Then, after we meet the little peanut, we can figure out which name belongs to him. No, we aren't sharing the short list of possibilities, but I'll tell you that there are about ten. We have to keep some secrets! You'll find out his name soon enough!

Computers

I haven't updated the web page recently because Travis and I are in the midst of a computer switcheroo. We don't buy presents for each other for our wedding anniversary; instead, we upgrade one of our computers. We didn't do it last December because we didn't think we needed it, but we changed our minds a few weeks ago when Travis's computer starting showing its age.

So, Travis is setting up his new computer, and my computer is in pieces on the floor as I decide which hard drive goes where, and it will take me another day or two to get it back up and running. Hopefully before the baby gets here, or it will be tough to share photos of him!

Work

I am still working, which seems to surprise some people. I like my job a lot, and there are a lot of interesting things that I'm involved in right now. I also want to finish up all of my little projects before I leave for an unknown amount of time. I want to make sure no one is left to clean up my messes!

I also have a lot of fun at work because there are people here who are very interested in hearing about my pregnancy and the baby and how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking. It is fun to write to all of you, but it is more fun to talk about it! Kristie is pregnant for the second time, as I've mentioned, so she has been very helpful and interesting to compare stories with. Laurie has two kids, and has a lot of good information and experiences to share. Ellen has been so fascinated with my pregnancy that it has been amazing fun to talk to her! She has been more excited about every little movement and bit of progress than anyone else, I think. Vic has three children, and has told me that every child is such a treasure. He makes parenthood sound like the best thing that I could be preparing for right now. I'm looking forward to it!