Anytime now

Well I am 38 weeks :) My baby is full term, mostly baked and could go at anytime. I have started my family tree scrapbook that I am making for him and am pretty much ready to go on most things. I went yesterday to the Womyn's Center where I will be delivering in hopes of getting a nursing bra and getting more info about breast pumping etc. But they said I was to early!! I really hope to get some time to pump instead of solely baby on breast b/c I think that I will want that "me" time and I want someone else to feed the baby by bottle. Maintaining breast feeding is often a problem b/c the mothers breast milk doesn't come in for a couple of days and/or breastfeeding could hurt. So if I can pump enough or just pump for a bit each day it can build up a reserve and he could drink off the bottle not only me. I think that would be more helpful. Even if its only a day or two of reserve..

But there are costs of either renting or buying the pump. Renting is abt $60/month, whereas buying is about $300... So I think I will rent the first month, see how it works out then if it works out then I will either buy it or figure out how long I want to breastfeed for. Since I, g-d willing, plan to have a 2nd child, I will most likely want to breastfeed again. Plus in addition, you have to buy special attachments for the pump, breast cream, nursing pads, etc. However in the long run its healthier for the baby, provides a good attachment to your child and is all natural. I don't like the idea that my child will be eating out of a can till he goes to solids.

My breastfeeding goal is till about 6 months when the switch to solids starts. I don't want to do it forever, but I think the beginning months are critical and since I have no plans to fulltime work until Spring, I think its a doable thing.

So what else is left before baby arrives? I still need a swinging chair for baby... But if I don't get that on my registry I will just find one somewhere. I have a stroller, carseat (2 of them actually), diapers, bassinets (pack n' plays), a high chair, a baby tub, etc.

I'm excited! I have started to up my walking levels to encourage him to move on down and out :) But only when he's ready- I will not rush him, of course once they induce me, they want him out. But I will be 1 day short of 40 weeks when thats happens and thats okay w/me. Thats appropriate :) Also I am cordblood banking so I have that set up. I need to doublecheck on a couple of other things, but mostly I am good to go at anytime. My bag is 90% packed and I'm practicing my labor breathing..

I hope one day soon to have a labor and delivery story for you guys/gals!! :)

~38 weeks :)

the countdown will soon commence!

Life is a very interesting thing. We change and evolve and grow and experience and all we can do is be open for it. B/c I have a huge belly everywhere I go people ask me when I'm due and how I'm doing and the sex of the baby and everything. The attention is focused solely on me and its great. I pretty much can ask for anything and I will get it. But soon enough, the focus will be off me and on my child. Suddenly my world will change and my priorities. Its a natural, biological thing. The next generation will start with no knowledge of what it was like to live in the 20th century, no knowledge of pre-computer days, no knowledge of pretty much everything I've grown up with. He will be a baby of the 21st century and will g-d willing live to the 22nd long after I am gone.

So I think as I get close to having my first son, I just am nostalgic. I am starting my family and working my way down the path of life. I saw his feet and his toes and fingers in the ultrasound today and g-d willing thats all mine in 16 days. All those toes and those fingers I will spend the rest of my life worrying and wondering about.

I watched a labor and delivery video last night complete w/labor intensity in those infamous pre-epidural days.. and it didn't deter me or scare me, it made me even more excited that my little boy is coming. I just can't wait for him to be in my life. I run across of alot of single mothers (not really by choice) and they talk about how hard it is.. But I think really there is a difference btwn single mothers by CHOICE and single mothers who didn't think they would end up that way.

In terms of symptoms I am monitoring my blood pressure each night with my home blood pressure monitor and taking my meds accordingly. I have minimal salts. I get tired easy when standing. I walk each night around my block several times, but otherwise I am jazzin :)

I AM READY FOR BEBE!
~37w, 4d :) :) :)

I've entered the interventionnnn zone

So I had my Group B strep test today and they tested my iron levels. The Group B was a real quick "internal" (wink wink) exam which lasted about 20 seconds- no biggie. The blood test was rather quick as well. To amuse myself during it I started thinking about how many CNN anchors I knew and I really didn't get far, so I started naming all news correspondents I knew.. Ya...

So I am thinking about doing cord blood banking. Its the latest rage in stem cells- they take a sample from the baby's umblical cord, they harvest the cells and store it in case they are needed. I just found out that they need 3 freakin' TUBES of blood from me before or after I am in labor. So along with the many things that will be coming out of my body, there will be another 3 tubes of blood joining the chorus..

So as a result of all these things set to leave my body, I am going to start preparing my super bulking up in iron, protein and calcium. All of which I think are essential things in keeping me strong on the big day (t-3 weeks!). So every morning I am going to egg it- whether with an omelet or french toast or something that includes 1 full egg (organic OF COURSE :)). Then along with my cereal that contains 50% of my daily iron, I will add two additional sources- haven't fully determined what that is yet to make sure I exceed my daily 100%. My prenatal vitamin offers me 150% of my daily total but I dont take that until I fall asleep at night.

My protein which is super important to me as a vegetarian will come in the way of nuts, tofu and something else. Calcium will come through various organic cheeses :)

So 21 days left- cooooo :)

~36w, 6d!

latest ultrasound

Sooo today is a tireddd day but I have things to do- including 2 meetings at the shul. We will see how that goes! My latest ultrasound guesstimation (b/c thats what it really is- it can go either 30% up or down), is the baby is 7 lbs, 13 ozs :) :) Ha! So when the ultrasound womyn told me that, she gave me this "thats a BIG baby" look. I want a big baby. I think big babies are healthy and strong and full of life. I fully predict I will have a large child, as I am a big boned womyn and the donor is 6'0"- if I had a 5 lb baby I would be worried!

He is in the 96% for his height and weight :) Hahaa. I think its funny. I'm enjoying it. However the bigger he gets- the less likely its gonna become that I have a vaginal delivery and I would have a c-section. Which means lots of fun medical stuff.. But at least it would be planned and over within a short amount of time. It means IVs, catheters (sp?), epidurals, stitches, oxygen most likely and cutting open my abdomen. And most likely for 2nd child another c-section.

And the other question would be when? I would say he can still grow for another 2 weeks which would make me around 38ish weeks and be around 9 lbs. But since there is such a room for error- what if he is only 6 lbs now and they are measuring wrong? Ya know? I don't want go into a c-section thinking I have a big baby and doing it prematurely and then end up w/a smaller child that I could have had vaginally...

It's something to ponder. I am not sure.. but I am not exactly at that cross-roads yet, but will start letting the thought ping-pong in my brain. At this point I would say that I hope to labor naturally, which also I believe will end up with IVs, epidurals, pitocin (thats the only thing I wouldn't have if I had a c-section), catheters, etc..

So we shall see. Ahh, the processes of a medical birth.

eeeeeeekkkkkk

~36w, 4d

cooking

So I am 36 weeks and 1 day and I have to say I am starting to feel like my old self again.. Not physically of course (more in a bit), but emotionally, psychologically. I think that because I can see the 'goal' and the fact that pregnancy is nearing an end, I am ready to move beyond it, with baby of course. These last couple of weeks have really been about what my life will be like after I have the baby. I feel blessed that I got to 36 weeks and will feel more blessed this upcoming Friday when I hit full-term. I don't think I am ready to give birth until after 38 weeks though. So in theory I would feel comfortable delivering in 13 days from now. Which is weird, but good b/c I am ready for the mommy part and to see my little boy grow.

My brother said the oddest yet most insightful thing tonight on the phone. He said that the 9 months of pregnancy are the longest, but the 1st year of life goes by like a flash. So I am ready. :)

I am due to attend a black tie event next Sunday night at the Aquarium downtown, so I would like to do that but really, I don't know. There is almost a peace thats going to come with the craziness of labor and delivery. Am I ready to go into a hospital and be hooked up to monitors and IVs and all of that? Its like you can either fight against it or you can just accept it and move on. I am somewhere in the middle.. But doing visualization and really accepting all the good and the bad will help me in the long run.

Physically it is tiring to be pregnant. I can't be on my feet for long periods of time, walking up/down stairs is a challenge, bending over is almost impossible... But its all only temporary for a wonderful cause! My bebe :) :)

I got a really super baby gift from my extended fam on Friday- the Eddie Bauer travel system and a 2nd bassinet. So other than the crib, I think I am mostly golden.. The real costs will be in diapering and perhaps formula (although I want to breastfeed).

So thats it for now..
~36w, 1d :D

Time fliesss

So I am in week 35 and I do 2 ultrasounds a week. Today baby was rubbing his eyes when we peeked in, like we had woke him up! Soooooo cute :) Everything looked good. But I just realized this is a quiet week in terms of doctors appt, next week they do a growth check (only 2 left really until delivery), my Group B strep test/iron levels checked... So this week will be a quiet doctors week, then week 37 should be a quiet doctors week, then week 38 and 39 are cervical checks looking for dilation!

eekk- we are getting closer!!
~35 w, 4d!

Things to do w/children

So last night I realized that I wanted to re-create a list that I had made when I was in LA in December abt things to do w/children. I wanted a non-TV, non-computer informal list of things I can do with a child of varying ages. One of the main reasons for this list is that I will be able to come back to it when he is older (g-d willing) and reference and utilize some of these ideas. I hope to add to this list. I believe I did this once before but since its my blog- I'm gonna do it again! :D And of course if you have any suggestions feel free to tell me so!

A- arts n' crafts, acrobatics, airplanes, aviation, animals (zoos, owning/taking care of), automobiles, astronomy, astrology
B- baking, baseball, basketball, books (reading, creating, writing), building, bowling, boy scouts, bird watching
c- cooking, crafting, canoeing, clay, collecting, cartoons (reading, creating), camping (in or out), cleaning (daily, weekly, spring), chalk (drawing, using)
d- dinosaurs, dancing, drawing, decorations (creating for holiday), dolphins (swimming with and taking care of), dress up
e- eating, entertaining (friends, family, etc), farms (animals, visiting)
f- friends, finances (saving money/doing chores), football, firetrucks (play with), film/camera (creating, making, watching)
g- gardening, goals (soccer? personal? attaining those), geology, geography, golf
h- helping mom around the house (taking care of animals), hobbies, history (learning of), hockey, helicopters
i- ice cream (creating, making), instruments
j- jack n' the box, journalism (making a house newspaper/family newspaper, giving it out), judaism
k- karate, kickball
l- listening (music?), learning, lincoln logs, legos
m- museums, music (concerts, listening, creating, playing), marbles, mozart, monopoly
n-
o- octopus (visit Aquarium)
p- playing, photography, puzzles, pirates (treasure hunts, map readings), picnics, parks, planting, police (pretending, playing, learning)
q-
r- relaxing (beach?, travel?, other forms), records (music), reading, rafting, rollerskating, rollerblading
s- sports (soccer), singing, Sunday School, social skills (working on and improving), science, scrapbooking
t- travel, tubing, tennis, trucks, trivia games, trains (actual and toy), telephone (pretending with)
u-
v- violin, viola (music lessons?),
w- watching stars (buy a star?)
x-
y- yo-yos
z- zebra (animals? adopting one?), zoos

*this is all I can think of in the moment, but I will be back w/more. I just want to make sure life isn't boring. I don't want parenthood to be a struggle or something that is just existing, I want to create life, nurture it and watch it grow. :)

Mama's Day

A womyn yesterday at the grocery store wished me "Happy Mother's Day".. awww...

My first mama's day wishes :D

~35W,1d

almost 35 weeks!

So I've done alot in the past week- I've gotten the carseat professionally installed. The county has a place set up in a local county govt area every Wednesday. We had a fireman working on the carseat- showing us how to move the belts, how to put a newborn in and how to install it. It was a very good lesson on the how-tos. We set up the bassinet in the nursery so its ready for him. I plan to buy a crib with my government refund and some gift cards I got- its gonna be exciting. I want one that will convert to a toddler bed :)

I am 35 weeks tomorrow, so I have been going to do ultrsounds twice a week now and will have my Group B Strep test done in 2 Thursday, also have my iron check. Then starting in 3 weeks I start having cervical checks for dilation and contractions!! But the good stuff is that I will be full term in 14 days from now.

We are actively planning the bris. We went to a local kosher like bagel place today and sat down w/a womyn and are getting a dairy meal prepared.. That should be nice and she made it not sressful which is good too :)

So really all I have left is to buy some diapers, prepare mine and his hospital bag (which I hope to do early next week), get the room a little bit more cleaned up, do one more massive shopping for baby- pacifiers, more diapers, nursing stuff, perhaps more socks/shoes.. then I'm ready :) I am trying to forsee things he will need in the future- he will need a convertible car seat in about a year. Obviously his eating habits will change when he is 6-7 monthsish, so I want to get one of those books about how to make organic babyfood.

I still have to go through labor and delivery and whatnot, but its reassuring to see him on ultrasound. All looks good when I go and if I can keep him cookin' for another 2 weeks I will be cool to deliver after that :) So thats not to shabby- 14 more days and he will be full term. My baby!!! I got to see him practice breathing on the ultrasound today.. Coollll huh?? :)

~34w, 6d :)

34 weeks

Just had the coolest ultrasound today and saw the baby suck his thumb!!! Soooo cute :) :) :) He put his hands to his mouth then down again. My baby is a real boy! :)