36 Weeks

Okay y'all, I finally figured out how to adjust the settings on this blog (Anissa, you should be so proud - I didn't even have to call you!) and now it is possible to leave comments without signing up for anything! Happy days are here again... Anyway, please leave comments! I feel so lonely... Just kidding. But really do start leaving comments. I had the wonderful Becky Milam test it for me, and joy of joys it actually worked!

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My C-Section has been moved up - I am now scheduled to have Baby Dolton on April 13th! Of course, that is also Friday the 13th... Maybe I should name him Michael? Just kidding! My lovely Aunt Sandy reminded me that April thirteenth was my great-grandmother's birthday - Gramma Askins was born in the year 1900. There's got to be something lucky about being born exactly 107 years after your great-great-grandmother, eh? So let's see, it is currently 7:43 am on the 29th of March, and my C-Section is scheduled for 7:30 am... I have 14 days, 23 hours, and 47 minutes left of this pregnancy! Nothing like counting down the time... Wonder if I should figure up the seconds? Ha ha!

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After my O.B. appointment last Friday (March 23rd), I once again had to get a non-stress test, and collect my urine for 24 hours. I'm starting to think my doc has a pee fetish... Anyway, the test results were fine. They said the baby looked great - I looked like crap, but the baby looked great. The nurse was saying how bad my ankles looked, but they were actually better than they had been! I did, however, get put on modified bed rest. Ugh. I have to lay down (not sit) for four hours throughout the day - morning, lunchtime, afternoon, and evening. So not looking forward to this! I also was told no shopping, be it for the baby or even just groceries; no exercise; no house work; and no sex (not a problem there!). I'm only supposed to drive when absolutely necessary, such as getting to the doctor's office. I guess Ryan will be walking home from school from now on!

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I'm having another shower this Saturday - its a diaper shower! Everyone is just bringing diapers as gifts. Way cool, right? I'm pretty excited about it. Adreanne and Beth are throwing this one - they were worried about having it at my house instead of one of theirs, but since I'm on stinking bed rest now, it has totally worked out for the best. I was happy to have it here anyway, just so I didn't have to lug everything home again!

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Once again, from www.babycenter.com:

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"Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected his skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in his bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become his first bowel movement.

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"At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if he isn't in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating him from the outside of your belly."

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Ouch! That last part makes me glad I'm having a C-section! As for what I'm experiencing now, it goes on to say:

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"While your baby continues to grow and crowd your internal organs, you may find that you're not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to drop down lower in your pelvis. This dropping — called lightening or engagement — is more likely to happen before labor if this is your first baby. When it does, though, you may feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, making walking increasingly uncomfortable. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs, or as if the baby is going to fall out (Don't worry, he won't!).

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"You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Be sure to review with your practitioner exactly when and where to call him when you think your labor has started. As a general rule, you should call when you start having regular contractions coming every five minutes for about an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you're not yet 37 weeks and have signs of preterm labor. You should also call without delay if your water breaks (or if you even think you're leaking amniotic fluid), if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision.

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"Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying during your final month, when you're more likely to go into labor. In fact, many airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within seven or sometimes 30 days of the flight."

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The official countdown has now begun - T-minus 15 days and counting...

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!