36 Weeks - 9 mths!!!

Well, I got to go to my prenatal appointment because my mom had brought us home yesterday and slept over. So, I called and they fit me in today.

Bad news:

Melanie Weaver, my CNM, is no longer in practice! She couldn't afford the malpractice insurance!!! So, this really sucks... OOOORRRRR it could be one of those 'signs' I've been praying about :)

So, I am going to keep seeing Dr. Karkoff (sp?).

He did the GBS and hemoglobin tests today.
Baby's heartbeat is strong and in the 150's.
I'm measuring 34cm. He said that is just fine and that usually women plateau at that measurement.
My bloodpressure is 138/79
My weight is 178lbs; which is 33 lbs gained... not bad, IMO, for myself :) I gained around 40lbs for both of my other pregnancies. So, its all good.
He also checked for dilation and effacement. Said there's a little dimple... but, he doesn't feel I'll go into early labor... which is what I figured anyways. Calista was a 40 wk baby and Ursula was a 39 week baby.

I go back next week, of course. I guess I'll take a couple of pictures in a little while and post them as well.

34 Weeks 1 Day

Okay, I took these today :)

No Prenatal Yesterday

The office called to rescheledule me for next Tuesday... smack dab in the middle of Thanksgiving vacation... so, who knows... I might have to call and rescheledule for the next week! lol Looks like it'll be time for the GBS (Group B streptococcus) test... wooo hooo... that's always fun... although nothing compared to a pap smear! I'd take that swab test over pap smear anytime!

According to my American Baby email, my baby should weigh around 5 lbs and be about 20" long. If that's true, I guess the baby will just be fattening up until he decides to be born. Although, I don't imagine he's that big yet because my other 2 babies weighed under 7lbs... and I have approximately 6 wks to go.

I've already printed up a birth plan. Its like 4 pages (just the front though) long. I might have to shorten it. But, Melanie already knows my desires from Ursula's birth. We'll just have to go over them again and she'll make a copy of it for my records, sign and date them.

huh... now, ya see, I am going through my email as I type of this blog entry and my BabyCenter email says that right now, my baby should weigh about 4 3/4lbs and be almost 18" long. Now, that's probably more like what's going on with me :D hehe That email also says the if born now, my baby has excellent chances of survival :) That's always good to know... just in case :D Also that his skin is smooth and he's layering on the fat he needs to control his body temperature for when he enters this world. And YES, geez... I am feeling that fatigue from lack of sleep due to having to go to the bathroom... also lack of sleep from, who knows what? Like last night... I was up at least two different times... just laying there... waiting to fall asleep... now, that's annoying! lol

I ordered two nursing bras from online yesterday. I can't wait to get them! I really hope they fit! I bid on them off of eBay. I have to get some money orders today and send them in so I can get those bras asap! I also bought something for Ursula... for either her bday or xmas. She'll LOVE it! I'll write more about it on her and her sister's blog :D

The baby's movements are getting less frequent, but they say its common being that he's growing bigger and is running out of room in my womb :D And during the day, I swear I have to go pee every 30 minutes!!! geez! That's getting kind of annoying! lol

I'll post some pics later on... I'll prolly put some make-up on to go to Calista's Open House today... so, that's why I'll prolly go ahead and take a couple of belly shots today.

Disheartened

Well, Jeremy didn't get home until like 2:20am this morning... but, that's a whole 'nother blog entry... Anyways... he and I were talking until almost 5 am; even though he knew he had to work today.

He was telling me about work and all... and when he started kind of winding down, I told him that this baby was going to be born at home. He told me that no, it wasn't. He told me that I wasn't in good enough shape to do it at home. I told him what difference would it make in the hospital? He also told me that it was awful seeing me in pain for my births... Its not like I'll be taking drugs there anyways! He told me that I am constantly breathing hard or catching my breath or something to do with my breathing. I told him that is because this baby is positioned differently then the others but right before the due date, he'll drop and I'll breathe better. He said I'm having too many aches and pains and I have to roll off the couch and stuff... Again... positioning. I remember having to roll off the couch for my other pregnancies. And I had aches for Calista too. Then he was telling me that he had dreams about this baby's birth. Brought up the one about me checking my dilation. I told him I thought that was a good sign. He told me he didn't tell me the rest of the dream. The baby was not there. It wasn't born but I wasn't pregnant anymore after checking my dilation. He couldn't remember how far dilated I was. He told me that he fears that this baby will have problems because of my breathing. That he'll have lung problems. That God doesn't want him having a son, so, they'll be something 'wrong' with him. I told him that the baby is fine. I give birth to strong babies. I told him this baby is very active, constantly moving. He was like, yeah, he's moving... I told him that baby's don't breathe until they hit the air... they may practice using their lungs prior to birth... Then he said something about the lungs developing in the last 4 weeks. I was like, yeah, I know that! I am not at risk for a premature baby! Neither of my girls were premature.

Anyways, I was just so pumped up about having an unassisted homebirth. :( I had spent a good part of the day looking up different sites, joining different homebirth support groups, reading birth stories... etc. BornFree, Empowered Childbirth, Unhindered Living - The Online Childbirth Class, Bob's Unassisted Homebirth Site for Fathers, Birthing Basics, etc...

I told myself in the beginning that I'd birth where I felt I should, whether that be at the hospital with Melanie, CNM or at home with my family. I told myself that I'd look for signs. I'd pray about it. I'd talk to both myself and the baby. And I have done these things.

Jeremy told me that I was going to kill our boy. I told him that I'd never endanger our children's lives. Never. I couldn't believe how much he doesn't trust me.

He kept saying that when you're in that intense labor, you don't know what's going on... I was like, yeah, I know, primal instincts take over... but, I'd make 'the call' BEFORE getting to that point!!!

Oh yeah, he also said he wanted me to be in the hospital so that I can get my tubes tied. I told him I never said I was going to do that. I have talked to him about the process and how its easier to do it after birth and how at the last prenatal, the doctor said I'd have to sign a consent form at least 30 days before the birth (and then they go and change my next appointment to a week later! That'll be pushing that 30 day thing!). I told him that I had thought about it because my bro's wife, Jessica is going to have hers done. So, I have looked into a little bit. But, never decided I was going to through it. I told him, what if I change my mind? What if he changes his mind? What if after having this baby, he is so in love with him and all that he wants to have one more? He didn't really say much after that. He said at some point though that 3 kids was enough for him. BTW, yes, I know that they can reverse the procedure, but there's no guarantee that you'll conceive or carry a baby to term. I can see myself signing the consent form just in case. The doc said just because I sign it, doesn't mean I have to go through with it once I'm there.

Well, I have 6 wks 3 days until my EDD. I have a good amount of time left. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and see how things progress. He has told me his feelings on the matter as of now, of course, under the influence of alcohol. We've talked about it. That might have relieved some of that fear he has. Like I said, we'll see. I mean, I have to respect his thoughts. This is his baby as well as my own. I have to take what he says into consideration. He can be intuitive. Its not like I hated Ursula's birth, I didn't. I wouldn't mind doing it that way again, in all actuality. I just don't like the thought of Melanie not doing deliveries on the weekends. Oh, that's what I told him too... if he wants me to go to the hospital, have another waterbirth, he needs to pray that I go into labor during the week so that Melanie will be assisting me and not some unknown doctor who doesn't know my history and wishes.

Guess I need to go ahead and make up a birth plan again! I'm sure I have the one I used on one of my PC CD's... instead of looking for it, I'll see about just making up another one.

In conclusion... I'll still continue to pray, soul search, talk to the baby, etc. And we'll see what the outcome turns out to be sometime in December!

Smallish Update

Ever since I was 32 wks (I'm currently 33wks 2 days), I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions. I might have had a couple prior to that... but, nowadays, I'm having them throughout the day. They definitely don't hurt. They normally come on when I've been sitting or laying down for a while and then get up. But, of course, that's not the only times I get BH.

The baby is still active. I can usually count on him moving whenever I lay on my sides.

I started reviewing my book, Heart & Hands by Elizabeth Davis A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. I read it in front of Jeremy and point out different pictures. One of them shows the father behind the laboring mom while she's squatting, he's pressing her hips together, opening up her birth canal. My sister, Aimee, said her dh did this for at least one of their babies and it really helped her throughout her labor. Anyways, I show him that and tell him he might have to do that for me. He made some sort of comment and said something about pushing hard and and my pelvis breaking in half but how easily the baby would come out then... I'm like, okay, you don't need to put her full strength into it... I won't be of much use if I'm in a body cast for months on end! Point is, is that he hasn't said anything about me doing this at home. We've talked about it only a little bit, but I know he's heard me talk on the phone about it. I'm thinking he's okay with it.

If I don't watch myself, I waddle! lol

I've been taking some homeopathic stuff for back aches and I'm not hurting as bad now... but, still a little stiff in the mornings.

Hate to bend over... lol

My next prenatal appointment is November 15th.

32 Weeks - 8 Months!!!

Had my prenatal today but Melanie wasn't there, so I saw her back-up doctor. She she should be there for my next appointment.

I'm measuring 31 CM.
(that's some lovely stretch marks, huh?)

Baby's heartbeat is in the 150's.

I've gained 29lbs so far... not too bad... could be worse, I imagine. I just know I'll lose it all later :) That's keeps me positive :D

Baby is still head down... The doc was able to lightly touch my belly to find out all kinds of baby parts! I was impressed! hehehe I can only tell the big parts right now... like, his back... LOL But anyways, I can tell, pretty much, what direction he's facing (which hasn't really changed much) because of where I'm feeling the majority of movements. Most of the movements are to the upper left side... me looking down direction. I've heard of moms saying their babies were in their ribs... I'm not feeling that he's in my ribs... but, more so my lung area... LOL But, he still has growing to do, so maybe I'll feel that later.
The baby moves all the time. No matter if I'm laying down or cooking, walking, or talking. Which is so weird... However, the majority of his movements are whenever I'm laying on my side, esp. if I switch to my other side. I can always count of him moving a good bit after that.

I believe Jeremy's only felt him move on one occassion... because like my other kids, he seems to know when its someone else's hand touching my belly and stops moving! I've read that is very common.

The coolest part, besides feeling baby movements all day long, is that my belly is finally extended PAST my breasts!!! woohoo! yay!

From my Baby Connection weekly newsletter:

It's getting awfully snug in there! Your baby weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long. You're gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next seven weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. A side effect of your growing belly may be low back pain and possibly some pain in your buttocks and thighs. Be sure to tell your caregiver if the pain is severe or you feel numbness or tingling in your legs.

Definitely feeling the lower back pain and pain in my buttocks! Not fun at all! Along with that, I'm feeling that pulling sensation in my groin. woohoo... fun, fun, fun.

I can't wait to get my energy back!!!

Still haven't gotten a new nursing bra... or even a new bra at all... I so need one. Hopefully soon I'll be able to get that.