Is this it?

For about 6.5 hours I've been having contractions. I'm supposed to call them pressure waves. I think I prefer the term "rush". As I do not think this feels like pressure! They're not really progressing though. Staying consistenly inconsistent
:0)

So who knows if this is going to stay like this for days or what or even stop all together. Something is definitely going on though. Just hope my baby's here very soon and not later!

Oh the Fun...

I guess I jinxed myself last night at bible study. We were talking about sleep and one lady said she goes to bed about 9. I said I can't because if I do then I'll wake up around 11 and be mad that it's not even the next morning. So of course last night I went to bed at 10 something and I woke up about a million times and go to the bathroom a million times. I finally look at the clock and it's only 11 somthing. Ugh!!! Then it was 12 something, 1 something so I finally got up. Went back to bed at 3 and was awake before 4. Got up again at 5 something, went back to bed and slept much better until I woke up at 8.

Also, not only am I waking up but all through out the night I was having insane Braxton Hicks. And if I wasn't having a Braxton Hicks my muscles were just cramping up. If I touched my stomach, my stomach would contract. It was horrible. It hurt to lie down, get up, sit up, to do anything. I asked my midwife yesterday about the cramping and she just smiled and said "sometimes we have to get to that point before anything happens." Yay.

I believe that God had a design in pregnancy and that toward the end you have to get to the point that you're miserable or pretty darn close so that you are willing to endure anything to get that baby out :0) God knows what he's doing!

Crazy Weather

This weather is crazy! It's rained, snowed, hailed and snowed some more. it looks like a snowglobe outside right now! So pretty!!

My midwife says Avery has come down some. Her heart rate was about 152 which is good. I tested positive for Group B Strep so I had to by some Hebiclense stuff. If I were giving birth in the hospital, they'd put me on an IV antibiotic for 4 hours before delivery but since I'm not doing that, I get to do the Hebiclense. It will help get rid of the bad bacteria but allow the Avery to keep her good bacteria. It should also help some with the UTI I have. I have to do this until I deliver. I also got some stuff today for my UTI. So I should be all set :0)

Here are some pictures of me today, at 39 weeks. I can't wait to nurse...I hope it gets rid of that nice double chin haha!

I'm so glad Austin got the heater hooked up last night. My house is cozy and I'm drinking hot chocolate waiting on David to get home :0) Then it's off to bible study for some food and fellowship! Yay!

39 Weeks!

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Good grief. I can't believe I'm at 39 weeks. When is this kiddo going to come? I'm not the most patient person!

This Friday is Bunco and we're supposed to dress up. Last year, we had a pregnant girl who dressed up like a white trash guy. Her preggo belly looked like a beer gut and she had painted on a scruffy beard. It was so cute. I don't know how to top that pregnant costume! I've decided though on what I'm going to be. I'll reveal it after Bunco!

There's some snow on the roof's around here :) Thankfully Austin got the heater hooked up last night so we were nice and cozy!

Pictures

Snow and the colors of fall! And I do have a bladder infection :(

Please Come Soon

Ok, I am definitely ready for this little girl to come out. My insides hurt. My stomach keeps cramping up every time I move and it hurts so stinkin' bad! I hurts to get in and out of bed and of course I have to do that like 5 times a night. Hurts to breathe. It's lovely :0) Sometimes it just hits me when I'm just sitting there. Yesterday David was stressed out because it was hurting me so bad. He's nervous about THE day :0)

Then yesterday I noticed it looks like I've got blood in my urine and so I'm going to call the doctor this morning and see if I can get in and get checked for a UTI. Today I don't notice the blood.

I understand why people want to get induced. It would be nice to know when you're going to give birth. This waiting around kinda sucks :0)

Yuck

I have been so nauseated since yesterday evening. Today it's better but not gone. I guess this is normal...on my birth board alot of the women on there are nauseated too. Maybe it's hormones getting this baby and body ready :0)

I can't hardly eat though. Nausea sucks.

Full Moon

So tonight is the full moon. Let's see if there's some truth to women going into labor after the full moon...

Apparently there is some truth to it, let's just see if it works for me :) Come on gravity! Actually from what I hear, none of the old wives tales will work unless your body is already ready. I have no idea if I'm dilated or anything.

David got my hose last night and the shower adaptor (I think). I don't think he got me a pump though. Hope he doesn't have to huff and puff to blow that pool up :) haha!

Last night David was hunting and I was so bored. I decided I was going to once again try to hook up the antennae to the TV in my bedroom and see if I could get something....anything. Well, I got 5 channels!!! Only 2 work though. But I was so happy. I layed in bed last night for the first time since I moved from OK and watched TV. I saw the news!!! I was so excited. It was glorious. I still intend to get an antennae for the roof though so I can get more channels. They're pretty cheap.

Well, I just bought a new shirt and the hem on the back has come undone so I think I'm going to take it to a lady I know and see if she can re-hem it. So I better get going!

Happy Friday!

Carseat & Stroller!

Preparations

Thank goodness for blogs so I can write stuff down so I don't forget! Because I WILL forget.

I think my body is preparing. Well, I guess it has been for the last 9 months but the last few nights I feel something. It's different but it's only been once early in the morning and now the past few evenings. It's really exciting. I know that there's only 12 days until my due date and most first time moms go 10 days over but I'm hoping I don't. If I do, that's ok but I'm really anxious to meet my daughter!!!

Last night in birth class (it was our last one, yay!) we had to do a "birth rehearsal" I guess you could call it. We practiced relaxation and different positions. She had us do our belly lift technique which supposedly is very effective in jump starting labor. So David did it lightly...didn't want to go into labor during class! But by the end of class I was hurting pretty good. But here I am with no child in my arms...:0)

Alot of moms on my birth board are doing everything they can to get their babies to come early. I don't want to do that. I want Avery to come when she is good and ready. I'm probably only feeling that way because I'm not miserable! (knock on wood) I have been drinking (some) a tea called "Get Maternal" and it has red raspberry leaf in it which is supposed to help tone the uterus and get it ready for birth. But mainly, the warmth of it helps to relax my top uterus muscles that always seem to be cramped up. Feels good.

I just can't believe how close I am. In a few short weeks, we're going to have a baby. A baby! Still can't get over it!!

38 Weeks Photo

All the pictures pretty much look the same to me. Looks like my stomach hasn't grown any in the last month or so but I know it has.

I just need the pump and hose to my tub and I'll be ready to go!

Feel free to come out Avery!!

Midwife Visit

I had my appointment today with my midwife. Nothing new to report which is good. She gave me my birth kit today so I am ready to go! Actually I've still got to get a hose and blow up machine thing. I can't think of what they're called...

Maybe I'll have David take a picture of me later. I'm tired all of a sudden.

I think I'll try to take a nap between now and Bible study. We'll see how that works out.

38 Weeks! 14 Days to Go!!

Baby's now the size of a watermelon!The last bits of vernix caseosa (the white goo keeping baby's skin moist) and lanugo (downy hair) are slowly shedding into your amniotic fluid. Baby's head is about the same circumference as her abdomen, and her head could be covered in an inch or so of hair.

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

I can't believe I'm down to the last 2 weeks! I know that techinically I could go another 4 but I choose to not think that way :) But still no signs of labor. I thought this morning at about 5:00 AM that maybe I was feeling something but changed positions and it went away. It's really hitting home now for David and I that here in a very short period of time we're going to have a baby. We won't be a couple anymore, we'll be a family. We'll have our own little family. Wow.

I hope she's small enough to wear newborn size because I cannot wait to put her in her little newborn size dresses for church!

I'll post a picture later of me at 38 weeks. It'll look like all the other weeks. I don't think I've gotten much bigger. David says I have.

Labor Prediction Quiz

Your labor prediction quiz results are below.....

I know you were hoping we weren't going to say this, but don't expect this baby to come early. Your baby is nice and comfy tucked away in your womb and has no interest in joining the rest of the world. We predict your baby will be born after its due date. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning. Justmommies predicts that your baby will weigh approximately 6.0 pounds and that your labor will be about 11 hours long.

Well, there we have it. Let's see how true it is :) Actually it may not be true at all because for one: an online quiz can't predict when you're going to go into labor and two: I didn't know the answer to all the questions :)

But I am beginning to think she's nice and comfy in there. No signs of labor AT ALL. That's ok though because apparently she's not ready and I'm not miserable. Lots of women on my birth board are having their babies already or contracting. Nothing going on here!

I just wanna meet my little girl!!

Awww

Look at that itty bitty sock!

Happy Friday!

Yesterday I bought some really cute cheap maternity shirts! Go me! I got them from Ross and I usually hate Ross, so I'm pretty excited.

Today I don't want to be home, I want to be out and about! I have no motivation to do anything. It's Friday! A good day for doing nothing in particular, right?

David and Austin will be camping out tonight and tomorrow night so they can hunt. David invited me but um...no thanks. I can barely get comfy in my bed. How am I going to sleep on the ground?

Today I saw something that I definitely wouldn't see back home. I was driving through town and drove past the Chinese restaurant and there was a truck with a 4 wheeler in the back that had a deer strapped to the back of it. *sigh* only in Preston!

I'm super excited that Avery's carseat/stroller is on the way! Finally! yay!

37th Week Photo

The shirt is a little big ( I need to wash and dry it) but it was cold that day and I needed a warmer shirt to wear! My friend bought it for me because she is so sweet :0) And it's finally cooled off around here enough to wear it!

But there's my preggo belly for the 37th week of pregnancy!

Today I'm going to go look for some clothes that I can wear. I've outgrown mine and I need some longer shirts. Time to go to Logan and see what I can find for cheap. I hate buying maternity clothes this late in the game but I'm tired of walking around pulling my shirt down all the time trying to hide the stretchy part of my pants.

So now I'm going to go get ready to head to Logan. Plus I need to get up because Avery keeps kicking me in the same spot and it hurts!! :0) Maybe if I move around she'll move out of that spot.

Home Visit

I had my midwife home visit today. She wasn't able to bring me my supplies because she had to order them and she thought they'd be here yesterday but it was Columbus Day and so I don't know if they came in today while she was up here in Logan or what. So I will get it all next week.

Last week was a little more rough as far as my comfort goes. They said exactly what I suspected: baby moving my insides around :)

I brought up that the joints in my right hand hurt, diagnosis: pregnancy induced carpal tunnel.

Avery is moving around quite a bit more today. Her heart sounded good. I never heard what my measurements are for today. I've gained 3 more lbs since last Tuesday, which is consistent with what I had gained the week before. I guess 3 is the magic number!

Today was an absolutely beautiful day. I got my 2009 taxes done today--finally!!! That's a weight off my shoulders!

Now I'm waiting to leave for bible study. I hate waiting around. My house is cold today!!! I better go turn on my little heater!

37 Weeks

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

I took some video of our house but now I can't find the cord that connects my camera to my computer. I hope I can find it. Or maybe I'll just redo it with my digital camera. We'll see.

The midwife is coming today! Yay! I am anxious to see her and hear Avery. She's not moving as much as I'd like. She's still moving, so that's good but I've always read a decrease in movement is not good. Hopefully she's just resting.

Happy Monday!

David and Austin had no luck hunting. David saw a mama mountain lion and 3 cubs but they were big cubs. And Austin apparently missed out on the biggest buck he's ever seen. I don't know about Austin but David still had fun. He's not hard to please.

It's a lovely, cloudy day here in Preston. I like it :0) I'm procrastinating getting my house cleaned up from this weekend. My midwife is coming tomorrow!! And I suppose while the house is looking clean. I'll make a video of it. I had already thought about it and then David's mom mentioned it so I guess it's time to make one! Then everyone can see where we live :0)

Avery's not moving alot today and didn't move much yesterday. I don't like that. I have felt her move this morning but not much. That comoforts me but I like it when she moves ALOT. I know she's alive and well when she is! Maybe she's just decided to give my organs a break. They don't hurt today...yet.

I'm also thinking that I should go ahead and do the whole skype thing. I know Bonnie already has hers set up so Dad...you need it too! That way when your grandbaby gets here, you can see her in real time!!

Well, I better get busy! I think I've got to go walking this afternoon so I need to get stuff done. This week I am full term! Holy cow! Time to get stuff kicked into gear to get this girl here (whenever she's ready I mean). I don't want to be a miserable 42 weeks you know. I know she'll come when it's her time though, not mine and that's ok.

Hunting

Tonight David is camping out with Austin so they can be in the mountains when the official gun season opens tomorrow morning. David is sooooo excited to hunt! He's determined to get us meat to store up. And I'm sure he's hoping to get a nice head to mount.

This means I went and got me some food to eat and 2 movies!

I hope David gets him a deer. He'll be so proud :)

Warning: Don't read if you're anti-homebirth!!

Ok, sooooo I'm in the minority. I think I read once that only 1% of women give birth at home. Obviously not many people do it because you should see the reactions I get. Only those closest to me knew for a long while what my plans were. David and I quickly learned that alot of people are not so much for home birth. That's fine. I get it. So we just didn't mention it but eventually, over time, people start to ask questions about your doctor or the hospital and then rather than ignoring the subject you have to tell them..."I don't have a doctor" or "I'm not delivering at the hospital."

(0)(0) Thos look like funky boobs but that's supposed to represent huge eyeballs :0)

I even had one woman who I had never met before, give me her opinion, very strongly I might add. Then people have to add in the "weeelll, IIII had an epidural because blah blah blah." Um, ok, I don't really care. It's your choice and you can do what you want. People always feel the need to explain themselves to me. I need to wear a sign that says "I don't care what you choose to do!"

And something that annoys me is people who rant and rave about people who are for natural unmedicated child birth. I hear negative stuff about Ricki Lake's documentary all the time. She's so biased they say. Um, hello! She had a hospital birth and a home birth. It's not like she's only had a home birth and nothing else. And what's wrong with advocating something else? Any time people hear something that's against the norm, they come up with all kinds of crap to make that person or their message sound bad. I've been thinking about this alot lately...

Why did birth become so medicalized? God created women's bodies to GIVE BIRTH! It's natural and normal!

There are so many aspects to home birth that appeal to me. I love the fact that I'm at home where I can relax and feel comfortable. I have the option of moving anywhere I want to. I can deliver in any position I want to. I can set the atmosphere to exactly how I want it. No strangers will be walking in and out, distracting me. I can eat, drink and be merry! During the time of labor and delivery, David and I can be close and intimate. It will be a very special time for us. We will be able to focus on meeting our daughter and not focusing on some time schedule that the hospital has us on. (However, I do believe that if I had to give birth in a hospital, I'd prefer Preston's over Logan's. Logan has a high c-section rate and the people here in Preston seem a little more old fashioned in some ways--and I mean in good ways). I want my daughter to be born in a very special atmosphere. Giving birth is a special time and I want it to feel special to me and David. And by the way, like I said before, I don't care what other people do or where they give birth. This is MINE and DAVID'S decision; no judgment to anyone else :0)

The other reason home birth appeals to me is avoiding the whole cascade of interventions. I do not want an unnecessary c-section!!!

"Epidurals increase maternal and fetal healthcare costs and the professional liability of healthcare providers. Other medical interventions, such as IVs, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, the use of additional drugs, bladder catheterization, frequent blood pressure monitoring, continuous administration of oxygen and forceps, vacuum extraction and episiotomies, often become necessary as adjunct medical care to an epidural. Epidurals can prolong a birthing, leading to the possible need to augment the birthing time with Pitocin (an artificial hormone that mimics the action of oxytocin, the natural hormone that triggers birthing and causes uterine contractions."

Now of course I have to say I am very grateful for doctors who do c-sections when there is a need. And of course, if problem were to arise while I'm having Avery, I have absolutely nothing against going to the hospital for intervention.

"The use of these regular interventions interferes with the natural process of birth, which is inherently safe and effective. When the natural process is interfered with, pain is the result. How is it possible to know whether medical interventions are unnecessary? The anwer is surprisingly simple. If both mother and baby are doing fine, they're unnecessary."

I always thought I'd get an epidural! It's crazy to me to see what I've learned and how my views have changed. In my Hypnobabies class, there are couple's who are going to have an unmedicated birth in a hospital. They were told both by the hospital and my class instructor to ask for the nurse with experience in natural unmedicated child birth. They have one experienced nurse for each shift. What? There's only ONE nurse who deals with unmedicated births?? That's to me is so stupid.

I'm on a roll. I can't help it but I'll stop here. But first I'll put in a Hypnobabies birthing video :0)



It just proves to me that birth is a natural process and nothing to be scared of. Now, the good thing is...I'll end up speaking to everyone after I have Avery and I'll have all the feel good hormones rushing through me and so you may never know if I still feel this way here in a few weeks! hahaha I'm just kidding...sort of.

Getting Ready!

Here is my tub I'm getting ready. It has the sheets I'll be putting on the bed, those pad things you lay on in the hospital, baby blankets, sleepers, diapers, washcloths, soon it will have towels and I can't remember what else.

Now I've got to get the plastic to go on the bed (I think I'm going to buy 2 cheap shower liners to put between the sheets and mattress and the birthing sheets and clean sheets) and the plastic to go on the floor (I probably have some old plastic somewhere that we've used for painting, I'll put that under the tub). I've also got to get snacks for me (and my birthing team) and some electrolyte waters, juices, etc. I'll wait until a little closer to birthing time to get that stuff.

I've got a table that I'll have set up for the midwife to use for her supplies. I need to look at my list to see what else I need to get ready! We'll probably go out this weekend and pick up whatever else we need. Yay!

And it looks like we'll have some diapers to last us a while! I've got quite a few of the same sizes so if she out grows them and I can't use them, I'll just exchange them.

Geez! I can't wait!

Looks Like a Better Day

So I was pretty uncomfortable all day yesterday. It got better but my insides still hurt. Today they feel ALOT better. Thank goodness! I was able to lay comfortably on my left side last night too. Sometimes I just get tired of lying in the same position all night long!

Yesterday was an extremely active day for Avery. I don't think I've ever felt her move so much or at least not that much with such strong movements. Maybe she was as uncomfortable as I was yesterday. Her movements were hurting me too.

I guess something I will record here for the future is: right now I love tomatoes. I've always liked tomatoes but my neighbor gave us a bunch of cherry tomatoes and plus I've picked the ones in our garden and I can't stop eating them! I just get a plate and cut them in half and put salt on them and oh my gosh, it's a few minutes of heaven for me! :0)

I went to Radio Shack yesterday to price an antennae to put on the roof so I can get reception on my TV's. Hopefully, I can get one so I can have TV again. For some reason I can't pick up any reception. Not sure if it's because of my metal roof or the tall trees or the tall house on the corner of my street. I hopeI can get one and it works.

We watched birthing videos in class last night and went over all the things we need to do to be ready. They suggest that we be ready to go by 37 weeks. Thankfully I am almost ready with all my supplies and stuff. Which is good since I'll be 37 weeks next week! eek!

I'm so ready to see my baby girl!!

Oh My

It's is 6:15 in the morning and I've been up since a little after 5. I am so uncomfortable :(

All night long the only way I could get comfy was by sleeping on my left side. Any time I moved, I got a Braxton Hick's. If I rolled onto my back, it was really uncomfortable. I got tired of being on my left side though, so I finally decided to just get up.

The top of my uterus feels hard but the rest doesn't. I'm not sure if it's contracting or if it's her butt. I think it's more likely her butt since it's staying hard continually. It's making something hurt though. It hurts to move and if I breathe in or out too deep. Maybe she's squishing my diaphram or something. I don't know. I wish it would stop though.

My stomach has been itching like crazy so it must be growing.

I'm so tired.

36 Weeks

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

I went to my midwife appointment today and she said that I'm carrying Avery in my back, well, she didn't come out and exactly say that but pretty much. She asked if I recline alot and told me to work on my pelvic thrusts to bring her forward. She's in line with the birth canal though. I measured 35 cm today and her heart rate was around 140. My blood pressure was good as always and I've gained 3 lbs since last Tuesday. As of next week, I'm free to give birth :0) The midwife is coming to my house next Tuesday for my home visit and will be bringing me my supplies. Wahoo! Here are some pics of me today.

Here are some pictures from when David went rock climbing in Logan Canyon the Sunday before last while I was at my baby shower. He had an awesome time.

Less Than a Month!

So I can't believe that in just a few short weeks my daughter (whoa...that sounds weird!) will be here!! My braxton hicks have picked back up and have been going through out the nights too. I'm wondering if it's because I didn't drink much water on Saturday when the yard sale was going on. Maybe it's just my body getting ready!

Saturday Austin and Vicki had a garage sale. They did good! David put his dirt bike out that he got at the junk yard for $20 and I sold it for $200. Yay! Then Sunday we had a lazy day and it was awesome. We napped, ate some trout and watched a movie. Just the way a Sunday should be, right?

Once again, I'm ready to go to Ogden. These gift cards are still burning a hole in my pocket. David fixed my car so it's running good now.

Two of my friends have had babies in the last few days. Welcome to the world Lilyann and Caleb! I'm ready to welcome Avery too!

I'm excited/nervous about birthing time. I need to practice my Hypnobabies more. I guess I need to get on it and see about getting her a pediatrician. I'm such a procrastinator.

I guess I'll go see if my hot water is working so I can finally take a shower :0)