Grandma Great

My Mother-in-law is sweet. She is concerned about me overdoing it. She saw my 28 -week pictures and said that I looked too tired. She is worried that I am wearing myself out. She said that as far as she is concerned, I am supermom doing way more that any mom should. I LOVE her. I love that she is concerned. I told her not to worry. I am tired now but it will be better after the baby is born and I am not so tired all the time.

The truth is I am tired. It is a lot to be doing right now being 7 months pregnant, with a 14 month old, and homeschooling my 7 year old and packing up my house to move. But this is temporary. Once I am finished moving and I manage to get through Christmas and having a baby. Life will settle to a more normal pace. I just have to survive the next few months and it will all be okay.

28 Weeks - 7 months - LAST TRIMESTER!

Well, it seems no one can agree when the third trimester starts, but no matter when they say it starts, everyone agrees that by the time you are 28 weeks pregnant, you are there. And HERE I AM!!! I made it. There has been so much going on this pregnancy that it is just flying by. Circumstances being what they are, we had no option but to move across the province while I am in my third trimester, but even I agree that it seems a little crazy. I am exhausted already.

But we are doing okay. So far I have gained less than 10 pounds, my blood sugar is okay and there has been no signs of high blood pressure yet. So none of my previous complications have raised their ugly heads yet. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Every evening, I sit quietly and feel the baby moving and kicking inside me. I love it. It feels like our little mommy-baby bonding time. It is a lovely feeling that I will miss when it is gone.

Your pregnancy: 28 weeks

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester.

At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.)

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

Update

I went to my doctor's appointment and they said that they are really concerned over my gestational diabetes. My numbers are high and I still have ketones. So, they are admitting me. They want to keep an eye on my sugar, start me on insulin and have me meet with a endocrinologist. On top of that I have blood in my urine that they are concerned about. I am a little freaked out at this point. I wasn't expecting this. I am to be admitted tomorrow or the next day depending on bed availability and hopefully I will only be in there a few days.

35 Weeks Pregnant

Well, I am 35 Weeks pregnant now. I can't believe it. I am so happy. I have the nursery about ready, my bag packed, and I feel settled. I have a doctor's appointment today. So I will check on my little one and we will discuss my Gestational Diabetes, I guess. I will keep you updated if anything exciting developes.

You are 35 weeks pregnant.

Your baby now weighs over 5.5 pounds and its crown-to-rump length is approximately 13.2 inches. Your baby's total length is around 20.25 inches at this point. Your uterus is now 6 inches from the bellybutton and the average weight gain is approximately 24 to 29 pounds.

Most pregnant women begin to feel cramped and heavy around this time and often become tired of being pregnant. Some women feel like they do not have to room to breathe or eat. You should eat small, but frequent, meals and rest as often as you can throughout the day. Your cervix will begin to dilate and efface within the next few weeks to make room for your baby's head to emerge from the birth canal. Your cervix needs to be 10 cm dilated in order to deliver your baby.

This week of your pregnancy your baby's fingernails will have definitely reached the tips of his fingers. When your baby is born, his nails may look long and pointy. Your baby is less likely to scratch himself at this point because of the lack of room in the uterus. Fat deposition will still continue and your baby is getting chubbier and rounder. Your baby's shoulders are plump at this point.

The baby begins to develop its own immune system.

Tackle It Tuesday

My Tackle this week has been the nursery. I still have to put up the Winnie the Pooh curtains, I am awaiting delivery of my change table, I have to hang up the Winnie the Pooh diaper holder that is currently on the edge of the crib, and I would like to paint the dresser at some point, but mostly I am done. There is a Winnie the Pooh blanket in the crib and Princess helped me put up the decals and I am sure there will be more pictures and such. But if my baby came tomorrow I would be ready.

Sunday Stuff

Today I plan to finish the nursery, I am so glad. Prince Charming has promised that he will put up the crib today. I will take pics when it is finished. Even now, with all that I have done, every time I pass by her nursery, I stop and look inside with a little feeling of satisfaction. It is going to be such a sweet place just for her.

I went shopping yesterday to get some groceries and let me tell you, these days dragging this big ole' belly around the grocery store is about as much as I can take before I am DONE for the day. I was standing in line and the lady behind me says, "You must be so exhausted. I am exhausted just looking at you. When I had my daughter, I carried her all out in front like that too." I smiled and we chatted for a moment. It was nice of her to mention it. And truthfully, I don't realize until I go out exactly how huge in front this belly is. All of our mirrors end at my shoulders so when I pass a full-length mirror I get little shock. LOL.

I will admit that I am getting a bit anxious for the end now. I don't want to wish it away, but I so want to hold my baby, to know that she is really here, that I really get to love her and hold her. I want to know that this is not all some dream and that this big gigantic belly really holds the baby that I have dreamed of for so many years.

Busy day

I got a lot accomplished in the nursery today. I got all of the clothes put away. I even put all the clothes for when she is older put into the dresser I have put aside for it. So in her room is only clothes for her to wear until she is 3 months old. Then the other dresser outside her room has her clothes sorted by age for future use. I cleaned all the stuff that had been stored in her room and I sorted through her blankets and sheets as well. So all that is left now is for Prince Charming to put up her crib, to help with her curtains and for Princess and I to put up all the wall stuff. I am getting a change table given to me, but I am not sure when I am going to get it. I am not worried I can do fine without it. It was a lot of work but her room is starting to come together now. I am really glad.

I will say that I am tired and slightly grouchy tonight. I have warned Prince Charming that I am feeling grouchy so that at least he is forewarned. I don't get grouchy much but I guess, I worked hard today and this is how it is coming out. I swear though that after this baby is born, and before I start my diet, I am sitting down with a smorgasbord of yummy food, my list so far is chocolate bars, ice cream, potato chips, something caramel and yummy and milkshakes. I just want to sit down and eat all the bad stuff I can imagine. (somehow this apple I am eating doesn't quite cut it for me)

We had our second last prenatal class last night. It was fun. I am glad that I went. I did find out that there are great breast feeding support groups in town where I can go after the baby is born to get help and get her weighed to make sure she is doing okay. I was also told that I can get help from the nurses and the lactation consultant while I am there to try to make this time go better than it did with Princess.

34 weeks pregnant.

Well, I am doing pretty well. Maggie is kicking and bumping me. I am tired a lot but still managing to get some things done. My hospital bag is packed and I hope to have the nursery completely done by the end of the week. I will post pics when it is done. Princess is going to have fun helping me with the finishing touches. I have a breastfeeding clinic tonight and a prenatal class tomorrow night. I kind of hope to get a handle on Princess's disaster once known as a room today. That child can create disaster like no-one I have ever seen.

You are 34 weeks pregnant.

Your baby's crown-to-rump length this week is approximately 12.8 inches and the total length is around 19.8 inches at this time. Your baby now weighs almost 5 pounds. From your bellybutton, it is about 5.6 inches to the top of your uterus. Measurements of your uterus vary from woman to woman. You should not worry if you do not measure the exact same as your pregnancy friends or family members as long as you are growing appropriately. When your uterus grows and gets larger at an appropriate rate, it shows that your baby is growing well inside of your uterus.

Braxton-Hicks contractions are going to get stronger and more frequent within the next few weeks. Braxton-Hicks contractions feel like a tightening at the top of your uterus that spreads down and then relaxes. Many women mistake Braxton-Hicks contractions for true labor contractions, but this is rarely the case. Braxton-Hicks contractions will diminish if you get up and walk around and they should not be painful.

Your baby's hair continues to get longer and thicker. Your baby's hair color probably is not going to be the same color from birth onwards, so you should expect it to change in color. Your baby is shedding most of lanugo, but the amount of vernix caseosa is increasing. Your baby is taking calcium from you to lay down lots of bone. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins and drink milk to ensure that you receive enough calcium.

If you were to deliver your baby now, it would probably be called a pre-term infant instead of premature. The only difference is in the maturity, particularly lung maturity. A pre-term baby is less likely to need intensive care because its lungs have developed. Doctors can test lung maturity with an amniocentesis that checks levels of surfactant.

The baby now rests on your uterus and is no longer floating.

Fingernails now reach over the finger tips and the baby can scratch itself.

Tackle It Tuesday

My Tackle this week does not have before and after photos - I may come back and insert an after pic. But I am going to get my hospital bag completely packed and ready. It is about time. I have been poking things in there randomly as they popped into my head but I need to have it ready and down here ready to go. With only 6 weeks to go, I am getting ansty now!

I need to tidy up Princess's craft table as well. And, tomorrow I should be able to get a good handle on finishing the nursery and then I will be a very happy mommy.

Much about Monday

I had a doctor's appointment today. We have to keep a watch on my Ketones and my sugar levels and I have yet another infection! Yuck with gross applicator gunk. LOVELY! But on the upside, my baby is head down with her butt stuck out to the side. LOL.

AND . . . . . I got my crib!!! I am so happy I could cry!!

Friday Five

1. We went to prenatal classes last night. It was pretty good. Prince Charming got a lot out of it as well and that was nice. It is kind of fun to meet all these moms due around the same time as me.
   
2. I am doing pretty well. I am sticking to my Gestational Diabetes diet and I am measuring my blood sugar 7 times a day like I am supposed to. Hopefully this will bring down my sugar.
   
3. I can't believe I am so far along in this pregnancy. 6 1/2 weeks left at most now!!! Wow! Wow! Wow!
4. I wish my best friend could be here for when the baby is born. It would just be so nice to have her here. She is a part of my family and I love her like a sister. I would love her to be here to welcome her god-daughter into the world.
5. I hope to have the nursery finished next week. Hopefully. I need this to be done now.
   

33 weeks

I had my Gestational Diabetes meeting this morning. It wasn't so bad. I can definitely eat more carbs than I have been eating. That was good to know. I have to watch my ketone levels and my blood sugar levels. I have to test my sugar 7 times a day. That's not so fun. I have to keep track of what and how often I am eating as well. It will take some getting used to but it will be okay.

You are 33 weeks pregnant

Your baby weighs about 4.4 pounds at this point. The crown-to-rump length of your baby is approximately 12 inches and the total length is around 19.4 inches. Measuring from the top of your uterus to your bellybutton is 5.2 inches. Total weight gain at this point of pregnancy is usually 22 to 28 pounds.

With the exception of crying, your baby is capable of doing everything that a newborn baby will do. Your baby is restricted now inside of the uterus, but still can kick and move. Your baby sleeps a lot of the time, just as newborn babies do. Your baby's eyes move in the manner of REM sleep and researchers believe that babies can dream vividly in uterus. When your baby is awake, she is listening, feeling and learning. There are billions of neurons in the brain that make trillions of connections. Your baby will probably have settled into the birth position by now and your caregiver can most likely tell which way your baby is presenting. If your baby were to be born now, the lungs would probably be strong enough to function properly, but your baby may still need extra care from specially trained doctors and nurses.

During these last few weeks of pregnancy, most women experience an increased urge to urinate. The uterus puts a lot of pressure on the bladder and can send you to the restroom frequently. Your uterus has actually grown 500 times throughout your pregnancy! Red blood cell production catches up with the production of plasma and physiological anemia may begin to fade at this time.

Your baby's eyes open during alert times and close during sleep. The eye color is usually blue, regardless of the permanent color as pigmentation is not fully developed. The final formation of eye pigmentation requires exposure to light and usually happens a few weeks after birth.

Gestational Diabetes results

I just got back from the doctor's office and I got the results. I did fail the test. So now I have to wait to hear from a nutritionist (or specialist or whatever) to call me for an appointment to discuss my diet and how we are going to deal with this. If anyone has any advice or tips or ideas on what groceries to get, I would really appreciate it!

32 Weeks — 8 Months!

I can hardly believe that I am this far along. I am so glad. I am feeling big and awkward, but I am loving my little baby. I can't wait to hold her in my arms and love her. I am feeling more and more comfortable with the amount of readiness I have in my house right now. I mean, there are things I would like to get done and things I would like to buy, but if she came tomorrow, I would be okay.

You are 32 weeks pregnant.

By week 32, your baby weighs nearly 4 pounds! The crown-to-rump length of your baby is approximately 11.7 inches and the total length is about 18.9 inches. Your uterus is now 5 inches above your bellybutton. Some doctors do not see their patients every other week until now. So, if you were going to the doctor monthly, you may begin going once every other week now.

Sleeping boy. the baby sleeps 90-95% of the day, and sometimes experiences REM sleep, an indication of dreaming.

Now that your baby has grown so long and your uterus is higher, you might notice a new discomfort. Your baby is probably head-down and may occasionally stretch out and kick you in the ribs. The pressure on your rib cage can make you sore, especially if one of your baby's feet becomes caught. You can prevent this by sitting up straight as much as possible. Because your baby's demands for vitamins and minerals are higher than ever right now, you should continue to take your parental vitamins for the entire pregnancy.

This week your baby's movements will peak. You should continue to monitor the fetal movements daily and address any concerns with your caregiver. The wrinkles in your baby's face are disappearing and fat is still being deposited throughout the baby's body.

The body growth slows down from now on.

Because of the lack of space in the uterus, the legs are drawn up in what is known as the fetal position.

As a preparation for breastfeeding, your baby has learned to root for the breast. The baby will turn its head if touched on the cheek and open its mouth if the bottom lip is tickled. By this time the baby can also suck and swallow in a coordinated way.

Tired Tuesday

I am really sleepy today. I got up this morning and was out to Healthy Baby Club by 9 am. Then I came home and got Princess ready for school by noon. After that I went to a friends house for a little visit and now I am home. My house is only in a minor state of disaster so I guess I can live with it for now. I am just really really tired.

On the other hand, I think I may have Gestational Diabetes. I'll find out for sure soon, but I have a sneaking suspicion. Yesterday, I got a call from the doctor's office. they have the results of my Gestational Diabetes 3 hour test and they want me to come in and get the results. They said I could wait until my next prenatal appointment but it had to be within 10 days. I am thinking they would probably have just given me good news over the phone, right? So I am thinking I probably have GD. I'll let you know for sure.

Friday Five

1. Not too much going on here today. I was up pretty early and I made pancakes for the family.
2. I am trying to get some more laundry done as well.
3. Princess is home from school today, but she is playing outside and I doubt, I will see her much today other than quick visits and out again to play. LOL.
4. I am going to try to keep on top of the basic stuff in housework and let the bigger jobs go for now until I get a little more energy to tackle them.
5. I am really exhausted though so there won't be a lot going on. Lately it takes all the energy I got to carry my big pg butt up the stairs to pee (and trust me I do that a LOT) My latest game is beat the bladder. The goal is to make to the potty before I have an accident.

31 weeks pregnant.

I am feeling really really extraordinarily tired again. I am thinking my iron may be low again. I have been neglecting my iron pills with these new vitamins the doctor gave me, but I am thinking, I should start taking them again. I can't explain how incredibly tired I feel. Just standing at the bus stop seeing Princess off to school is an incredible feat of endurance. I am going look at these vitamins (which I take in two parts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon and I am going to work out the best time to take additional iron. This feels like more than a I am tired pregnant, this is an overwhelming, getting worse, I just want to sleep tired. And I slept for 10 hours last night! (If you don't count the hourly need to call in a crane to turn over in my bed. Other than that complaint, I am doing good. Baby is doing well and I am loving the bond I feel with her as it gets stronger every day.

31 weeks pregnant.

Your baby is continuing to grow each week that you remain pregnant. Your baby's crown-to-rump length is nearly 11.2 inches and total length is approximately 18 inches. Your baby weighs approximately 3.5 pounds at this point. Your uterus is about 4.4 inches above your bellybutton and continues to get larger. An average weight gain at this point is between 21 and 27 pounds. The weight that you gain is made up of your baby, placenta, blood supply, uterus, breasts, fat, water storage and amniotic fluid.

Because the ligaments and muscles supporting the small of your back relax and loosen in order to get ready for childbirth, your back may be aching from now on. There is usually nothing that can be done to prevent backaches, only to make them more comfortable. Many women get heartburn during these last few weeks of pregnancy because the oversized uterus leaves less room for the stomach and the contents within the stomach. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help relieve the discomforts of heartburn.

This week marks an incredible milestone in your baby's lung development. Before now, the air sacs and branches in your baby's lungs were present but not functional. The lungs were not able to inflate properly. However, now there is surfactant being produced in your baby's lungs. Surfactant prevents your baby's lungs from collapsing outside of the uterus and the baby is able to take in air and breathe properly. The fetal ear is almost completely developed both inside and out. Your baby can hear your voice and other familiar sounds that she will recognize after birth. Your baby is putting on white fat under the skin and the skin's color is pink instead of red at this point. Your baby's fingernails have grown to the end of her fingers and she may scratch herself while she is in the womb.

Funny to share

Feeling good

It is funny but although I have had a headache ever since my glucose test, I am feeling proud of myself. I was feeling overwhelmed by the number of things that needed to be done in our house. But I have taken to doing one little thing at a time in between the breaks I need because of pregnancy induced exhaustion. So that last night at 10 I was sweeping the floor, and this morning I was organizing a few things in the disaster known as a basement and packing things for Prince Charming to take out of the baby's room to make room for her crib. A little bit at a a time, I am getting things done. I have laundry washed, dried and folded and a little at a time, I take a small armload upstairs to put away. I am moving the mountain a spoonful at a time. It isn't the all-in, work until you drop way I usually do things, and it is taking forever, but at least it is getting done. Now if I could just convince this headache to take a hike, I could really get some stuff done!

Home again and Princess funny

I made it through the test, now I just have to wait on the results. My veins cooperated and it didn't go to badly. I am feeling a little nauseas from the whole thing now, but other than that, not too bad.

Princess was coloring a picture at the table the other day when she saw me drinking a cup of decaf coffee. She came out and said to me, "Mommy? I think you shouldn't buy anymore decaf coffee, I think you should buy normal coffee. Because when you drink decaf coffee, you sleep on the couch and then I have to be quiet." She didn't understand that I am sleeping because I am pg not because I am drinking decaf. I explained it to her and she said, "Oooooh . . . I didn't know that." and turned around and went to play.

Bless her little heart. Whenever she sees me asleep, she goes into her room and plays quietly until I wake up.

Wish me luck!

I am about to head out to get my 3 hour glucose test done. 3 hours of getting needles stuck in my ever shrinking veins. Wish me luck guys!