32 Weeks

As of the 25th, I am officially 7 months pregnant. Hooray! Only two months left. Feels like two years...
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I went in on Sunday for the three-hour glucose test, and the results are totally normal. Yea! No diabetes for Lindsey! I did have fun between tests going up and down in the elevator and pretending like I was having contractions when there were other people on it with me. Got some great looks and responses, the best being "Oh Lord, keep your legs crossed till we get to Labor and Delivery!" I had to find some way to amuse myself while waiting three hours! Anyway, the fasting sugar level is supposed to under 95, mine was 76; the second test (at one hour) should be under 180, mine was 160; the third (hour two) test should be under 155, mine was 126; and the final hour three test should be under 140, mine was 110. Stupid steroids! If I'd have waited another week to get the first test, all would have been fine, but apparently there are certain tests that have to be done at certain times, blah, blah, blah. Oh well. Better safe than sorry, right?
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In continuation from last week, here are some of the funny baby clothes I've either ordered or received from friends. My kid will be so stylin'! Either that, or he will be a total social outcast...

They all crack me up! The funniest part is that he will have no idea what he's wearing! Ha ha ha (evil laughter). Must take lots of pictures for blackmail later in life... You can click on each picture to see a larger version if you're having trouble reading the slogan. *Mom, put your glasses on!*

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Did you all see that the baby born at 22 weeks in Florida went home this month? Whew, makes me glad I'm at 32 weeks now!!!

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"The world's most premature living baby, born at 22 weeks, went home after spending four months at a Miami hospital. "We are delighted," Sonja Taylor, the overjoyed mother, said as she left Miami's Baptist Children's hospital with her tiny girl doctors call a "miracle baby." "They called me first thing this morning to let me know," she told journalists. Asked if the couple had set up oxygen tanks at home in readiness for baby Amillia's arrival, father Eddie Taylor said with a smile: "We have all that ready." When she was born on October 24 at 21 weeks and six days, Amillia weighed just 10 ounces and measured 9.5 inches, slightly longer than a ballpoint pen. She was the world's fourth smallest baby on record. "Even though she's only four pounds now, she's plump to me," her proud mother said earlier this week. "It was hard to believe she would get this far." No baby born at less than 23 weeks was previously known to have survived, according to the University of Iowa, which keeps a record of the world's tiniest babies." (from the Zee News website)

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One thing I've learned recently is that you shouldn't watch the movie Alien while you're pregnant, especially right before you go to bed! I had the worst nightmare - Baby Dolton burst out of my stomach, and proceeded to kill the world. I guess there's something to be said for not being a sci-fi junkie! Oh well. Who would Dad have to see movies with if I wasn't?

Here's what www.babycenter.com has to say about gestation at 32 weeks:

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"By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. He has tiny toenails now, and his fingernails have grown in, too. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz.
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"Your blood volume (the plasma plus red blood cells) is now about 40 to 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant to accommodate the needs of you and your baby. (This extra amount also helps make up for any blood you'll lose when giving birth.) You're also gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and adding pressure on your abdomen, you may be dealing with heartburn more often or feeling a little short of breath. To help with shortness of breath, try eating smaller quantities more often (rather than three daily feasts) and sleeping propped up. Those smaller meals should help with the heartburn, too.
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"As your baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in your growing belly causes a change in your posture and a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are making your ligaments more lax, and your growing uterus may even press on some nerves. All of this can contribute to low back pain and possibly to some pain in your buttocks and thighs as well. Let your caregiver know if you have severe pain or feel numbness or tingling in your legs."

31 Weeks

Nine weeks left, oh how I'm counting the days...

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I went back to the O.B. on Tuesday. He scheduled my C-section for the 25th of April, on my due date. Yea! Hopefully, unless I go into labor on my own, Baby Dolton will have the same birthday as his grampa!

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My gluco test results are in - ugh. The level was a little high... it's supposed to be under 140, and it was 156. There is a chance that it was high because of the round of steroids I'd recently taken, so Dr. Robinette wants me to do the three-hour test this weekend. How are you going to tell a pregnant woman not to eat or drink anything for 12 hours? Seems like cruel and unusual punishment to me! I'll post an update when I get the results of that test, too.

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All the baby books state that you should talk to your doctor during the 30th week about your 'birth plan'... I mentioned that to Dr. Robinette on Tuesday as well. He asked what I wanted, and since I'm having a C-section (due to my pilonidal problems) I said, "Lots of drugs and you cut me open?" He started cracking up. The medical student (or intern or resident, I don't remember exactly which) who was in the room was laughing, too, and said, "I like her!" Dr. R. replied, "Yeah, Lindsey's always funny!"
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I've been having fun ordering things baby-related on-line... Here is a picture of a ring I recently received. On the outside of the band it says "I made a wish" with a gold star, and on the inside it reads "and you came true". Not only is it too cute, it matches the theme of Baby Dolton's nursery! Of course, since I'm so swollen I can't wear it right now...

I also ordered Emily Paige a t-shirt that reads "I'm the new BIG cousin" - she'll look adorable in it! It was actually a bit hard to find... most shirts like this are for big brothers and sisters.

Here is the picture of a 31 Week gestation from the Baby Center website. It also says:

"This week, your baby measures about 16 inches long. He weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and he's beginning to accumulate a layer of fat underneath his skin in preparation for life as a newborn. As a result, his arms, legs, and body are filling out."

As for what's going on with me, the site goes on to say:

"You may have noticed some leaking of colostrum, or "premilk," from your breasts lately. Some expectant moms experience this leaking, others don't; either way, it's perfectly normal and you can rest assured that your body is doing what it's meant to do. If you're leaking, you may want to tuck some nursing pads in your bra to protect your clothes. And if you plan to breastfeed, you might also want to pick up a nursing bra. If your current bra is too snug, go ahead and wear the nursing bra now. (When shopping, choose a nursing bra at least one cup size bigger than you need now to accommodate the swelling that will take place when your milk comes in.)

"Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Some women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Lasting from 30 to 60 seconds, they're nonrhythmic and irregular and, at this point in your pregnancy, they should be infrequent and not painful. (When you're within a few weeks of your due date, it's normal for Braxton Hicks contractions to become more frequent and even somewhat painful; in fact, they're often called "false labor" because sometimes it can be hard to tell them from the real thing.) Until 37 weeks, though, your baby is still premature. So if you're getting frequent contractions (even if they don't hurt), it may be a sign of preterm labor. Call your practitioner immediately if you have an increase or change in vaginal discharge (especially if it's watery, mucus-like, or pink or tinged with blood), abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping, more than four contractions in an hour, an increase in pressure in the pelvic area, or low back pain, especially if you didn't have it before.

"If you're having a boy, you will want to take some time to think about whether or not to have your baby circumcised."

It's oh such much fun in Lindsey Land right now... ugh. I've actually started waddling!

30 Weeks

Wow, 30 weeks, can you believe it? Only 10 more to go! Hooray, hooray!

Here is a picture of what Baby Dolton looks like now - taken from the Baby Center website.

The same website also had this to say about his development:

"Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and fills out your uterus. His eyes open and close, he's able to distinguish between light and dark, and he can even follow a light source back and forth. Once he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have a visual acuity of only 20/400 — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face."

20/400? Poor kid, that's what he has to look forward to anyway if he inherits my eyesight! Actually, I think mine was worse than that before Lasik. Hmm, he doesn't stand a chance, does he?

I finally took some pictures of the nursery! They were taken with my phone, so they're not the best quality, but here you go...

Crib Shots



Armoire/Dresser


Changing Table Area


Close-ups of the pictures on the walls



Window Treatment


Storage Cabinet and Cute Hamper


And a close-up of the beautiful cross Mom bought for her grandson


Well, I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoy the nursery... I find myself going in there several times a day and just looking around! I'm such a dork. I can't wait until I have a baby to put in there! Look for the next update soon.

29 Weeks

I'm a little late in posting this, but since I won't officially be 30 weeks until tomorrow, I'm still going to title it 29 Weeks.

Not a whole lot going on right now... I did have my gluco test for diabetes done last week. Haven't heard anything back yet, but I'm assuming no news is good news. I go back to the O.B. on the 20th, and I'll let everyone know for sure then.

I finally got my ultrasound pictures scanned into the computer! The first one was taken on September 5th when I was seven weeks along, and the rest were taken on November 21st at 18 weeks. Just click on each picture to zoom in on the image. Hope you enjoy them!