40 Weeks!

This week's Alpha Mom update is probably my favorite one ever.  It goes like this:

Your Baby:

• get out get out get out.
• get out get out get out get out.

You:

• get out get out get out get out get out.
• get out! get out get out get out.
• and for real: GET OUT.

So first, the bad news. Less than 10% of babies actually show up on their due date. While the word “overdue” pretty much feels on par with the f-word during the final weeks of pregnancy, the sad truth is that many of us will end up there.
You may continue to trudge to work everyday, silently fuming about how this was SO NOT WHAT YOU MEANT by your plan to “work up until your due date.” You may start working from home, blaming an inability to fit into your shoes or keep the bottom few inches of your belly covered...

There's more to it but that's the basic gist :).

Appointment update:  I had my 40 week appointment today and the first thing the doctor asked when he walked in the room was "so how long do you want to keep this going?"  My response was "as long as I can" and he basically said ok.  The female doctor I saw last week seemed to be more of the opinion that I needed to schedule a c-section asap and that I wasn't allowed to go over 41 weeks.  My regular OB doctor said he'll let me go over 41 but they like to monitor the baby fairly closely.  Here's the gameplan going forward:  my next appointment is scheduled for next Monday and they will do a 'biophysical profile' which is basically an ultrasound to make sure the baby's muscle tone, breathing function, heart rate, amniotic fluid, and my placenta are all looking healthy.  As long as that's still good, I'll return on Friday (if I'm still pregnant) and they will hook me up to a fetal monitor for about 30 minutes to make sure her heart rate is good.  If all is still well, he'll let me go through the following weekend but if I'm still pregnant around Monday the 23rd he said we will have to make a decision about what to do.  So there's a chance she could be a Christmas Eve baby but I'm still hoping she will come sooner since my doctor won't induce for a VBAC.

Anyway... currently I'm about 1cm dilated and 30% effaced & softened.  Fun times.  He said he could've done a membrane sweep (I need to do some research on this) but I wasn't dilated enough.  I've heard that it isn't as effective until after 41 weeks anyway, but I need to look into it.

As far as my carpal tunnel issues, he sent me to the pharmacy to get a wrist splint.  I've been wearing it all afternoon and the numbness has mostly been replaced with tingling, so I guess that's progress.  I had to take it off to type this, though, because my hand is close to worthless while it's on :).

On the homefront, our Christmas tree is up, lights are on the house, and stockings are hung.  I finished most of my Christmas shopping this week, just in case baby Elise decides to make an appearance.  I've been getting some more painful contractions but they're very random.  I was getting back pains during church on Sunday and was hopeful that it could mean impending labor but they stopped right after church, boo.  If it wasn't raining constantly this week, I'd be taking walks outside to try and get labor started.  I went shopping/walking at Target last night and it felt pretty good.  I'm thinking about walking around the plant at work whenever I get a chance but it would be nice to get outside.  Today was the first day without rain in weeks, so I'm going to recruit a couple of coworkers to go on a stroll outside with me tomorrow.

My due date is tomorrow (Wednesday the 11th) but I just wanted to touch on the topic of due dates briefly.  When I was pregnant with Logan, the doctor tried to give me a little heart-to-heart as I was approaching my due date.  She said the due date isn't an exact science and that some doctors had been talking about changing it from a due date to a due week.  While that might help most pregnant women to not lose their !@^#*$! minds at the end of their pregnancies, I don't see it happening anytime soon.  And even though women know that the due date doesn't mean a baby is going to be born "on time", it's still really hard to get close or pass the due date without getting upset/emotional/anxious, etc.  I tried explaining it to my boss today... when you first find out you're pregnant, you're given a date.  During the 9 or so months of pregnancy, you look forward to that date with expectation and an eagerness that really can't be explained.  Then you reach that date.  You pass that date.  Nothing happens.  I have to say that I'm pretty easy to deal with when I'm pregnant... I try not to make a fuss or call more attention to myself but when I passed my due date with Logan, I was extremely upset, hormonal, emotional, etc.  It's just really hard to be patient when that's what you've been doing for 9+ months straight :).  I'm trying to stay calm this time while still remaining hopeful that labor will start on its own very soon.  At this point in both pregnancies, I leaned on a specific scripture:

Philippians 4:6-8
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Meditating on this has helped a little but there's still a small part of me that's anxious.  Lord, please help me to get through this week if she doesn't come out!!! I will say, though, that I'm feeling much more at peace with everything since my appointment this morning.  It helps to know that as long as Elise is healthy and strong in the womb, they will let me continue carrying her without worrying about a c-section.  I'm not under quite as much pressure now :).

Elise has been very active this week.  I've been sitting on the couch tonight watching her poke her rear, knees, and feet out of my belly.  I think I even felt some toes, which was kinda cute :).  I'm still getting random contractions that make it look like I'm smuggling a bowling ball.  She is pretty low at this point... if she gets much lower I think she'll start to crown (I hope).  

That's about it for now.  I think I covered more than everything :).  Will update next week or sooner if things start to happen!  Prayers are appreciated ;).

39 Weeks

Even though I'm almost 40 weeks, here's my 39 week update.  The Alpha Mom update for this week says this about baby:

Your Baby:

• Is full-term, almost done, probably about a medium-well on the Burger Scale.
• Is about 20 inches long and over seven pounds, maybe, depends, who knows.

I had my checkup on Monday with a doctor I've only seen one other time and the first thing she said was "has anyone told you that you have a big baby?"  I told her no but she wanted me to come back on Tuesday for an ultrasound just to make sure the baby isn't getting "too big".  I returned on Tuesday and the ultrasound only took about 15 minutes.  The nurse took some quick measurements of the baby's head, abdomen, leg, etc. and told me her estimated weight is 8lbs 2oz.  I asked what the variant was and she said 1 lb, so she's anywhere from 7 lbs 2 oz to 9 lbs 2 oz (Lord, help me).  I think she's probably in the 7s or 8s but we'll find out soon enough :).  The nurse said the baby is measuring perfectly for how far along I am.  She tried getting a good view of baby's face but things were pretty squished.  The nurse did tell me that Elise has chubby cheeks and I laughed.  When I told Jason his response was "shocking".  I guess she's going to have the Kowing cheeks too.  Lucky her! ;)

Not much new has happened this week.  I'm still bulbous, uncomfortable, and having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions.  I've never looked forward to being in excruciating pain so much in my life ;).  I'm still having issues with pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel in both hands, especially my right.  My right thumb (tip), middle and index fingers are numb because my hands are so swollen.  It's really annoying.  And my left hand is starting to randomly go numb too, especially when I try to grasp things.  When I talked to the doctor about it, she said she could refer me to an orthopedic practice to get a steroid shot in my wrist but when I called them to schedule an appointment (last Tuesday), they didn't have anything available until this Friday.  I didn't think it was worth it at the time, but maybe I should've just scheduled the appointment, just in case.  If/when I go into labor, I'm a little concerned about how I'm going to grasp anything to bear down when it's time to push. 

I'm still working full-time and everybody at work seems to be pretty understanding.  My boss especially knows not to mess with me (too much) because I can be a bit touchy at times.  I try to be as pleasant as I can but I still have my moments :). 

There are more things I can post but they would probably run into my week 40 update, so I guess I'll leave them out for now.  I did go eat the eggplant parmigiana at Scalini's Italian restaurant last night... there are over 300 women who have gone into labor within 48 hours of eating that so I figured I would give it a shot.  When I was pregnant with Logan, I made the recipe myself (they have it posted on their website) and it didn't work but people told me "you have to GO there!" so we're putting them to the test.  It has been about 26 hours, so there are only about 22 left... although I did eat leftovers for dinner tonight so does that extend the time out another 24 hours?  Hmmm... we'll see :).

Here are my weekly updates:
Contractions: I've been feeling them multiple times each day but nothing close together or consistent.
Cravings: Not craving anything.
Weight:  My total is up to 34 lbs
Swelling:  Hands, feet, ankles, etc.  The carpal tunnel is really aggravating and uncomfortable. 
Things to do: Install the infant car seat, put decals on baby room wall
Heartburn:  Zantac 2x daily
Stretching: Nothing new :)

My 40 week checkup is tomorrow and I'm sure the doctor will actually "check" me (up to his elbow, yikes).  I'm hoping I'm at least a little bit dilated & effaced but we'll see.  Will update soon with my 40 week post, just in case something happens :).

38 Weeks

I'm in the home stretch (pun not intended).  It has been a pretty good and productive week.  My birthday was on Monday (happy 31!) and Thanksgiving was on Thursday so I got to pig out about as much as my stomach allowed me to.  I'm still working full-time so the Thanksgiving break was much needed and I got a chance to relax at home quite a bit.  I'm still really tired but I feel like I got a lot accomplished.  The dresser for the baby's room arrived and Jason quickly put it together.  I took advantage of the long weekend (including Black Friday) to get some of the decorations up and I also sewed two pillow covers (for small throw pillows) and started sewing the last baby blanket.  I did a bunch of laundry and put most of the baby clothes away.  The decals arrived yesterday but we haven't put them on the walls yet.  I'm excited to get them up but need to prep the walls first.

I packed my bag for the hospital as much as I possibly could (still need to throw in phone chargers and other everyday items when the time comes).  I also bought Logan a backpack from a consignment store so that he has his very own bag that's ready for when mommy goes to the hospital.  He loves his backpack and stuffed it full of fruit snacks and juice boxes as soon as I told him what it was for.  Too cute :).  The gift that I ordered for Logan (from baby Elise) arrived in the mail yesterday too and I just need to wrap it and put it in my hospital bag... it's a book that he reads at daycare that he absolutely loves so I think he'll be impressed that Elise knew about it ;).

Jason and I got to go out a couple times this week on "dates" which was nice.  I'm sure it will be a while until we'll get to do that again.  We went to Red Robin for my free birthday burger and then went back again on Black Friday night before going to see Catching Fire.  I enjoyed it :).

Contractions: I've been feeling them multiple times each day but nothing close together or consistent.
Cravings: Not really craving anything but eating a bowl of cereal just about every night.
Weight:  My total is up to 31 lbs
Swelling:  Hands, feet, ankles, etc.  The carpal tunnel is really aggravating and uncomfortable. 
Things to do: Install the infant car seat
Heartburn:  Zantac 2x daily
Stretching: Minimal stretching beyond what I have from Logan.

I go back to the doctor tomorrow (Monday) because my appointment this past Wednesday was canceled.  The doctor had two c-sections scheduled at the last minute but I'm feeling fine so I'm not worried about missing that appointment.

I had to buy some men's slippers this afternoon because I couldn't find any women's in the right size for my poor puffy feet.  I fully plan on wearing them to work and I'm sure nobody will have anything to say about it ;).

I'm closing the baby pool tonight (I forgot to do it earlier this week), so good luck to everyone who has entered a guess :).  The winner will be posted as soon as I can after she's born.  I'm not entering a guess (don't want to mess up the game) but my guess is December 7th (a day that will live in infamy) at 8:15pm, 7lbs 5oz and 20.5" long :).

I will try to post pictures of the nursery when we have more completed (decals on the wall, etc.).  It's going to be adorable! :)