Another Pregnancy Update (I'm really not trying to run a Pregnancy Blog, here!)

So, I had my doctor's appointment today at 4:30. There was no change from the development at the hospital. He stripped my membranes and so far it seems to be working!! He said it had a 30% success rate, but hey, maybe I got lucky. It probably helps that things seem to be almost ready anyway. From what I've read, that seems to be the trick!

But, if this peters out, I am scheduled to be induced a week from Wednesday (July 16th)! So, I will be holding my baby on my due date instead of being frustrated because she is late!

Side note: I found a neat website to keep track of your contractions for you! It's called Contraction Master! All you have to do is hit the space bar at the beginning and end of each contraction and it will tell you the times, duration and frequency of contractions. How cool is that? We never keep track of the duration and right now, my husband is sleeping, so I can keep track all by myself with out it being a pain. (Well, except these actually hurt, so...) You can leave the website during a contraction and do whatever you like...say blog for instance!

I found another site, today. It's called BabyNames.com. They have list that are really easy to search and you just have to hover over the names to get a meaning and origin. It is my favorite baby name site, yet! We still aren't sure what to name this little gal, so I love to look, especially at the meanings.

So, wish me luck!

Update: Surprise, surprise--no more contractions and no baby, yet! I am starting to get really frustrated with this!

I don't want to Induce this time

I had an OB appointment yesterday. The baby is head down and things are moving along.

We talked about inducing as well as striping the membranes. I really don't want to induce this time, but my doc is worried that I'll have a ten-pound baby (since my others were 9.5 and 9 lbs) and all of the problems that go with that. With my other two deliveries, I had to have Pitocin when they were late. I hate all of the sitting in the hospital and being tied to an IV. I'd love to spend the first several hours at home and then go in when the baby is ready. I've also heard it is more painful that way and that there are risks.

At the same time, if I am going to hit my due date (on a Friday) and then induce on the next Monday, why not just induce earlier and not have to be pregnant any long than is needed!

I am wondering what any of you did at home to help things along. I have read about a lot of home inducing remedies, but I am wondering if you tried anything that actually worked! (Also, how horrible is having your membranes stripped? It sounds awful to me!)

Thanks!

This cracked me up!

I don't know about you, but the first thing I'm going to do after this baby is born is put on a bikini and show of my flabby abs!!

I was looking around Amazon.com at baby stuff and I don't know where this book came from. It looks hilarious!

Games, hobbies, dances, self-defense--All with your postpartum belly! They even say that this book may convince you that you won't want to lose the flab at all!

Big

Today, I officially feel big! I went shopping for a new maternity shirt. I have had a lot of trouble finding clothes, so I was really lacking in something cute and a little dressier to wear. I found a few I liked and they fit way differently than my knit shirts (that are cute and oh, so comfy!). My belly looks a lot bigger in them, but I kind of like that. At the same time, it made me realize that my belly is bigger than I've been thinking it was. This also made me feel big. I found a cute shirt, but I also feel very round, today!

It is amazing what your brain can do. The thing I don't understand is that I thought I looked really cute in the shirts, but then I am ending the day feeling very pregnant. I guess that is fitting since I only have 5 weeks left!

Pregnancy Update!

I'll be 35 weeks along, tomorrow. The last two months have been so consumed with packing, showing, selling, buying and then packing more, cleaning and moving that this pregnancy is going by pretty quickly. I don't mind that at all. It also makes for very little nesting. I have already been doing those things and they are mostly out of my system.

I feel a lot healthier this pregnancy, too. I haven't gained nearly as much weight as I did with the other two. I gained between 50 and 60 pounds with them and this time I have only gained around 20. I hope I can keep it under 30, since this is a time when the baby gains a lot of weight. I have been more active and we are in a lot better eating habits, now. Wii Fit and moving have been really good on my weight gain as well!!

I've had more contractions with this pregnancy, so even though I don't like the pain, I am hopeful that I won't have to be induced this time around. My doc doesn't want to let me go overdue because I have big babies, but, I am hoping that induction isn't necessary!

Pregnant-Fine vs. Normal-Fine

My SIL emailed me back the other day and she commented that there ought to be a difference when someone asks you how you are, when you are pregnant.

There's feeling good and then there's being pregnant and feeling good. When you aren't pregnant, you can be just fine, but when you are pregnant it is kind of in degrees and you are usually dealing with some kind of baby-related ailment.

Like right now, I'm not really tired or nauseous, but I am trying to get rid of a headache. I'm feeling pretty good, but not great.

Sidenote: Isn't it funny that when you're pregnant and you can't or don't want to take a lot of medicines, you feel more frustrated? A cold or something always seems worse when you can't take something for it. (Even if you wouldn't have taken anything not pregnant!) I guess I just want my Independence!

We Heard a Heartbeat!

I'm really not trying to turn this into a pregnancy blog, but with the trouble we've had getting another baby here, every step forward is wonderful!

I had an OB appointment, yesterday and we were able to hear our baby's heartbeat. It is such a reassuring sound! I always love it when I can feel movement all the time, it helps me not to worry so much! We took the kids along. Luke always loved to hear Belle's heartbeat, so we thought that would be fun.

Belle is actually excited, now, too! Before she really didn't want the baby to come. Now, she is all excited that she got to hear it! I think as it becomes more real, her two-yr-old brain will start to be a little more on board as well.

The heart rate was 150 beats per minute. Apparently the Old Wives think that means it's a girl as well! In looking that up, I found a funny site that has lots of folklore about whether you are carrying a boy or girl!

My Favorite Pregnancy Attire

So, it isn't officially made for pregnancy, but I just love my sarong! I bought it long before I was pregnant, because I liked it, but it made being pregnant so much more comfortable. I had a friend who wore one when she was pregnant and I tried it out.

Even maternity clothes just get uncomfortable at the end of the day (or the end of your pregnancy). A sarong can fit you from pre-pregnancy all the way to delivery. It is light and it feels like you aren't wearing anything. I love it! I have already started wearing it again!

There are tutorials on the web that can teach you how to wear one. I usually just wrap it around my waist or where ever it it comfortable and tie it in a knot.

Mine is made of rayon (I think) but if you want to have one and can't find a place to buy one, especially this time of year, it would be so simple to make. You'd just need some fabric and tie it on. You could serge/sew the edges and you're done!


P.S. This picture is of me 8 months pregnant with Belle.

You may not want to read this...

I don't know if I am even going to post this and I can't believe I am typing, but I think it may be therapeutic for me. It's a little after 2 am and I can't sleep, since my hips and back are aching.

I just wanted to tell you that I have had a miscarriage.

On Thursday night, I started to have some really light spotting. By morning, it had developed into heavier bleeding and some light cramping. I called the doctor's office when they opened and had to wait a little while to talk to the doctor. In that time, I was still bleeding and the cramping got worse. I continued bleeding with clots and some tissue. The doctor called back and I was able to make an appointment for that afternoon. They also set up an ultrasound at the hospital. (They don't have an ultrasound machine at his office, since he is a family doctor.)

I called my sis-in-law to see if she could watch the kids. She changed her plans and came over to keep me company. She ordered a pizza and took the kids to Aaron's parents' house to play while we had my appointments. She is awesome! She's more like a sister than an in-law.

By the time Aaron got home, (he is substitute teaching for summer school) The bleeding had slowed and the cramps were gone.

At the doctor's office, we learned that the bleeding was coming from my uterus.

We went to the ultrasound appointment and learned that I was no longer pregnant. There was nothing in my uterus.

This one has hit me harder than the miscarriage I had about 6 months ago. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep the cycle of trying, and failing to get pregnant and then get pregnant and lose the baby.

Aaron told Luke. He said it was about the hardest thing he's ever had to do. Luke keeps asking questions about the baby and, somehow, that almost makes it easier. I don't know why.

Anyway, I don't know how much I will be blogging in the near future, so I have you all have a good week.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

.............Oh, was I writing a post? I have been getting so tired already! Pregnancy, and staying up late but getting up early will do that to you. The great thing is that Aaron is a teacher and so he is home during the summer...he is great about letting me get a nap!

I have been a bit queasy, but not too bad. I hope it stays that way. With my other pregnancies, I rarely threw up, but I did feel awful enough to wish that I could, just for the relief!

Luke is my little protector. He is always reminding me that I need to be careful because I am pregnant and asking me if this or that hurts because I am pregnant. (Yesterday, Belle was climbing all over me, including my tummy and it worried Luke.) He is so cute. He is so excited for this baby!

Belle really doesn't have a clue what is going to happen, but I think she'll be giddy when the baby comes. She is a baby-lover!

The Faith of a Five-Year-Old

About three weeks ago, Luke started praying for a baby brother. That was apparently the perfect timing, because we found out that I am pregnant!!! I didn't want to tell everyone this early, but I am not good at keeping this kind of thing a secret and Luke has started to tell everyone, anyway. We asked my sister-in-law to watch the kids while we go to the doctor and I knew she'd be suspicious anyway. We are really excited!!

The baby is due on February 12th! That is a great time to have the last part of a pregnancy. I'll make my own warmth and not need an air conditioner at full capacity!

The problem is that Luke is CONVINCED that it is a boy! I hope for him that it is. We have already started explaining about how prayers are answered and how they are not. Yesterday, I said that it might not be a boy and he said, "Did God not hear me?" It breaks my heart. He is such a sweet & trusting little guy! It is so nice to see his faith in action, but it is hard knowing that we may have to work really hard to help him understand.

If I ask Belle whether we should have a boy or a girl baby come live with us, she always says "Booooyyyy." It is really cute. I think she'll be easier to convince that a girl would be okay, too!