My Little Mikkel Jens' Birth Story!

at 38 weeks, I advised my midwife that I wanted a stretch and sweep to get the process going with this pregnancy. A little selfish i know, but I was increasingly becoming more uncomfortable with my left hip at night, the insomnia, the urinary frequency, and shortness of breath. Furthermore, Gene was going to start the fishing season again (we would be alone for 3 days at a time), my dad was going back to work, and we had a wedding to go to! Let's get the show started- date was booked for September 1st at 0900!

The August 31st-September 1st sleep was non existent because of my anxiety in anticipation of the sweep. At 0430am, I was woken up by a different type of cramping that was not the usual braxton hick that i often felt from my head to my bowels. Of course I didnt think THIS IS IT right away, but the 'period cramps' came to mind and I knew that something more was happening. So i got up, paced around the house, and started using my contractions app to get some sort of data on what was going on. I woke up husband to tell him around 530am and that I was about to page the midwife at 0600.

My contractions were getting more intense at the 6am mark, my midwife said to call her back when I couldn't function through them. At this hour I was still able to get dressed, get my parents on standby, put makeup on (yeah i know), and analyze the happenings of the day while curling over the side of the couch every now and then. My parents picked up Max close to 7am and I paged my midwife that things were moving along quickly. I asked her to come over and check me so we weren't going to be turned away from the hospital, but by 720am, it didnt take much for Gene to convince me (knowing my stubbornness) that it was time to go to the hospital especially as rush hour was then and now...we met the midwife there after a brief phone call. Thankfully, we had no traffic issues getting to the hospital, and was officially admitted at around 0745am. Had to tell Gene to fck off every now and then for trying to rush me to the unit; walking with active contractions and saying hi to people that recognized me in between ha (!). We had the most amazing room 11 on the maternity unit, and once I laid down on the bed, I was 4cm dilated and being told that "[you] aren't going anywhere today!"

The only position I was comfortable with was lying on my left side and I stayed there during the entire labor process. I don't know why, but I was more conscious of the pain this time around. No drugs, no gas, just stubborn debilitating PAIN. I can't remember all of what I was saying but I remember swearing a lot, trying to breathe things out, closing my eyes 98% of the time, having a pleasant staff nurse who kept smiling at me as she got the room ready, telling myself I was so tired and that i just need a little more time. Honestly I was also a little annoyed at the time because my midwife was just there waiting, sitting, being TOO CALM, while I was totally at my most vulnerable. In hindsight, really...what was she going to do? Speed up the baby's arrival? how? pull the baby out? tell me to push when my body wasn't ready? in reality, she was waiting as my body was changing, and after it all, she told me she knew things were progressing fast as she listened to the sounds of my voice and visual symptoms. I was also finding it strange that I remained on my left side the entire time, like this isn't what i pictured in my head and couldn't fathom birthing this way, but alas it was the only position my body would let me take on. Andrea (my midwife) said she'd lift up my leg the entire time, to which I was completely in disbelief as how a baby was going to come out that way.

my water broke as she encouraged me to let it go, and to let my body push when it was ready. i remember loudly saying, there's water coming out!!  and as she scurried along to deal with the acuity of the situation, i got even more anxious when I couldn't visualize her or feel her energy. I remember saying Andrea, where are you? I need to see you! many times. her presence was truly a comforting factor. There's no doubt when your body tells you that it was time to push! Mentally though, you have to let it go and just do it. I remember telling Gene not to breathe in my face as it was really bothering me (lol), I remember telling him that I was going to rip his shirt off or rip it in general, I remember telling myself that I just needed some time to rest in-between contractions and trying to will the baby to give me just a few more minutes (which she did enough to suffice). I remember some slight burning in my perineum and my midwife telling me to breathe it out and keep my legs and bum soft as she cranked my knee to my chest (still lying on my left side),  and I remember someone pressing down on my perineum, an EXPLODING/BURSTING/ERUPTING sensation, and baby out and crying!! Skin to skin right away....first degree tear, 2 stitches, 5 pushes, and 5 hours later (labor and delivery)....we have our baby girl!!

^^ September 1 at 0942am ^^

^^ baby Mikkel Jens (like Miguel, but with a K)! 7lbs 7oz! ^^

post partum updates to follow!

I'm 33! Happy Birthday to ME!

my day started out just as planned, sleeping in until 930am with no major plans for the day. the weather was awesome (cool, rainy, TORNADO LIKE WINDS), and Max woke up in a good mood jumping around giving me kisses and telling me happy birthday (to which I also reminded him that it was his beloved Michael Jackson's birthday too!), +1 mamma points there! Most importantly, I was not in any form of labor and this baby has allowed me to have a day that is mine. It was my 'goal' to keep this baby in until after my birthday, and now the universe has aligned and I can finally relax and hopefully give birth some time soon.

Max and I made THESE COOKIES yesterday. I would say they were just a little too sweet. my personal preference would be to drop the sugar to 3/4cup for both white and brown. However, when it comes to toddler abilities to make this recipe with a responsible adult, easy peasy! I let him touch and taste a bunch of ingredients and once it was all said and done, he was so proud of himself for his gift! love these moments while I have a one and only. On a side note, i was blessed enough not to lose power in my neighbourhood from the 2015 #BCStorm (see some pics of the storm's aftermath HERE). My family though, living 10 minutes away did and are expected to regain power by 8pm tonight. No internet, no hot showers, no cooking; blessing in disguise (?) vs. apocalyptic. Gene has taken Max to FREE (!) PNE and i've got the whole house to myself. I feel the urge to do chores or go out and take the time for myself, but alas i've come to terms with resting in peace, blogging, online shopping, and food in a slow cooker so I don't have to deal with anything that requires close monitoring. 

I spent the rest of yesterday taking pics with Max, as above! He then ran around naked all day impressing me with his urine-only potty trained self (including putting the lid up, aiming, shaking it off, and sometimes flushing). I'm not sure how much nudity is appropriate or too much? but Max, if possible, would run around naked all day around the house without complaints. My family and I ate at Las Margaritas on 4th for dinner. That restaurant is our Mexico, away from Mexico - which really makes no sense because Mexican resorts don't really serve that tex-mex type of food more than once a week (lots of theme nights). The food is never disappointing at Las Margaritas, can't wait to go back. 

Cake, cookies, tea, gifts...that's all she wrote.

I'm 33 years old! 

================================ >

38 Week update

• becoming increasingly hypersensitive to my symptoms. is this a BH contraction or a real contraction? is this twinge in my uterine area a sign of labor or just a twinge? is this wetness I feel mild bladder leakage or sweat or my water breaking and trickling down my leg? Is that my mucous plug? is that blood? y'know...normal thoughts lol
• it's taking me about 2 hours to get back to sleep every night, when i wake up around 130am chronically to go use the washroom. How is this going to work when the baby comes anyways? oh i know, NO SLEEP. i'm contemplating on becoming a coffee drinker as a new lifestyle, I don't have any idea idea where to start with this as my husband only drink instant coffee
• some of my pre-37th week clothes are no longer fitting. Some clothes already have holes and need to get rid of them. And of course, there are clothes I just can't wait to get rid of
• i bought a play yard to use as a crib because I'm not even sure if this kid will waste crib-money like Max did (and want to co sleep). Also, id like to child to eventually sleep in the same bed and room as Max by the time I go back to work so I don't know what I would use a crib for on a long term basis anyways (watch my luck though, I probably will have an out of the ordinary child that wants to sleep by themselves!)
• speaking of the 2 kids sleeping together, my cat is so annoying And really him waking one or the other up if they aren't in the same room is enough for me to blow a gasket. so keeping both kids contained in one room is i think a good idea. I also hate it when he sleeps on their sleeping furniture and I'm currently using a cosleeper bed and a bassinet as toy storage so he doesn't make himself comfortable in the freshly washed baby-ready furniture. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the giant playpen. my cat drives me nuts
• my hospital bag is packed and ready to be put in the car!
• we got this for Max's big brother gift from his sister. he's obsessed with these Monster Jam cars and i've had to put up with a lot of tantrums in public spaces (like tantrums that can last a whole f*cking HOUR) because I WONT buy them for him unless it was his birthday/Christmas- y'know standard fare rules and regulations that this guy needs to understand (!!). But having a new sister and something to ease the change like this is ok with me

• Max's overnight bag for my parents' house is packed- of course for their sanity (because he's never slept over night anywhere without us), his iPad and charger are a must. I have a sticky notes in multiple places to remind me to pack it on D-day. If this L&D is anything like last time, the higher level of thinking must still be done by me...the person in labor with a human coming out of their crevice...instead of husband who just cannot
• tried on some non-birkenstock shoes for a wedding this September and NO SHOES FIT in my regular 7-7.5. do I need to buy new shoes now or what? normally id be cheering for a shopping opportunity, but today I'm just dreading this. After speaking with some other mom's I think there is more of a likelihood that my shoe size will no longer by a 7 and I may have to lose some of my beloved shoes altogether (cue in tears for my Frye's)
• started talking to Max about not being able to sleep with him at night once the baby comes. I'm pretty stressed out about because I have such a good sleep (well despite my current insomnia) when I'm with him, and y'know it's a special time between us as we tell stories, laugh, and cuddle at night. just a reality change we have to adapt to. mommy guilt right there
• stocking up on fall friendly nursing shirts. I'm really loving the button up style shirts with my new nursing bra(s)! can't wait to wear them

• "healthy baby healthy mom" according to my midwife! my Stretch and sweep is scheduled for September 1st at 0900am! which means i could have the baby that very day/night!!

Countdown! 35, 36, and 37th week!! We MADE IT!

• my bloodwork has been great! iron is good, despite me feeling super tired all the time
• I need to go to the washroom all the time, and I need a raised toilet seat at home. my arms are getting a workout from helping hoist my heavy body up from the toilet
• I've gained about 17-19 pounds so far
• my new shoe size is 8.5-9! i was trying on shoes and my usual size 7 don't fit, even with slip ons! i think I'm just getting way too comfortable with my birkenstocks too...may even be time to resole them so they last into a hopefully Indian Summer. Birks in the rain are terrible
• 35 week midwife appt went well, she did have a hard time discerning where the head was as I had two hard sites 1) pelvis and 2) upper central abdomen. it also didn't help that I FELL DOWN hard on the ground! just to be on the safe side, I got a 35 week ultrasound and it's conformed that baby IS head down, but currently sunny side up...which I don't really want and now am determined to do a lot of cat poses to rectify this
• new stretch marks in my upper abdominal area, I've been terrible with the coconut oil, so now going to start back on it again
• lots of movement, big big slithering organs churning movements
• so easily physically tired
• easily short of breath, need to do some pursed lip breathing on activity ...i barely am able to last 5 hours as it is! 
• Max is napping on his own, yay! I just need to tell him that I have to do some 'cleaning' and that he can sleep with all the monster trucks he wants and 2 pacifiers...it's been awesome! i can get stuff done, the kid gets sleep, and I can focus on the baby in due time
• short of breath as I have a conversation with people
• hardest part of waking up is the shift of weight from lying on my left side, to sitting up, then standing up. thanks gravity! 
• some Braxton Hicks are more frequent, sometimes feels like my upper back is opening up from the vertebrae, a 'blooming' like feeling. Other times I feel it down my left side, inguinal area which was kind of scary the first time in happened. I wonder if baby is dropping?!?!
• 4 more shifts left of work!!!
• group B streptococcus NEGATIVE!
• whoa, silver dollars! ( o ) ( o ) if you know what I mean
• my legs seem puffy, and thick ...but not pitting edema
• my abdomen is randomly itchy....which means....stretch marks!! yay....not.
• 37 weeks!!!! 
• at 37 weeks, anyone and everyone says I'm huge. the most polite version was "wow, you've really Sprouted!"
• i have trouble lifting my leg so that my ankle sits on my thigh...not sure what the position is called. it's cross-legged but not. hard to put on non-slip on shoes too
• i got some eyelash extensions put it, and sitting supine on that table for 90 minutes was torture
• bought a nursing bralette from Thyme per my sister's recommendation. I didn't buy one with the first and worse a shitty camisole from costco with built bra for #1, so I'm excited to use this bra! 

• my frequent swimming escapades and use of q-tips has plugged up my left ear, and every time i burp or yawn, there's pressure pain
• slight hint of green in banana's cause me heartburn
• I'm really loving Little Cesar's CRAZY BREAD!! drool drool drool
• work has been SO BUSY. i love my coworkers though for looking out for me, adjusting my assignment, and even advising me to not come to work because it's just THAT busy
• some of my braxton hick's include some major nerve discomfort shooting down from my groin to left mid thigh, is this normal?!?!

• my fingers are swollen, my feet are swollen
• I've been having really crappy sleeps at night! maybe I'm not tired enough? once i wake up to void, it's about 1.5hours to get back to sleep. lately I've been waking up sometime between 12am-130am not needing to void, but some random atypical anxiety related to hypersensitivity to labour symptoms. i want to be aware of labor symptoms so I'm ready, but also anxious because I'm not ready for this baby mentally until after august 31st
• short.of.breath with any activity
• i think i'm waddling now
• my joints are stiffer and my left hip is really bothering me at night night. my alternative positions are so limited!
• my friend's sister is was due sept 6 and went into natural labor on Aug 23rd = anxiety
• I've officially set up the co-sleeping bassinet for the bedroom and living room for this baby
• ive also packed my hospital bag
• im savouring every moment i can co-sleep with Max at night
• speaking of Max, he's decided to be potty trained for urine and has had no accidents! however, he doesn't want to give up the diaper because he wants to poop in it still and absolutely refuses to poop in the potty or big toilet
• so far I've only gained 23-25lbs! big difference from Max where I gained about 40lbs!
• my maternity button up shirts are starting to not fit and buttons are popping open 
• currently upping the ante on my fibre intake because 1) prenatals are terrible on the bowels and 2) who really wants to strain for a movement after giving birth?? I don't even want to think about it! 

^^ 7 to 37 weeks!! ^^

^^ front view! ^^

Countdown!!!
And just for fun, here are my poor quality belly pics from my pregnancy with Max! click here

Countdown! Weeks 32, 33, 34

• this baby really prefers my right side. there is often a bum? a shoulder? a knee? a head? sticking out of my side. and WOW the movements are intense, almost painful and I'm trying not to picture my organs shifting. hopefully these movements don't lead to any health related problems for me
• at work, I need a raised toilet seat. I can't get up comfortably from these standard thrones
• i got some sort of food poisoning or stomach bug on July 13. the amount of 'stuff' that came out of me was unreal and continuous
• the happy hormones might be malfunctioning at this time, because my husband has been the source of my negative mood for a few days now
• are Max and the baby going to share rooms?
• bunk beds? same bed? trundle beds? 
• midwife appt has the baby showing as reactively healthy. my BP is 108 systolic, when she was palpating my belly, baby's heart rate went up to 170 and down to 140 when relaxed. she also has me thinking about what to do with Max when i'm in labor (hopefully fast). at this point i'm planning to just make it to the hospital, and I'm prepared to labor and deliver by myself with husband taking Max out for a walk or something. However, Gene wants to cut the cord and i want someone taking bedside pictures like before, so I haven't fully figured out the logistics of that plan yet. I suppose I can drop off Max to my parents? but that all depends on time of day and of course, Max will be super worried about me and Gene that it could be a night of heck for my parents (if it were to happen in the middle of the night) and I don't want Max to be worried- the midwife mentioned that the little ones are more worried about us than we are of ourselves, so true
• the midwife showed me how to palpate for the babies head in my pelvis....WEIRD feeling the outline of baby's head!!!
• my thighs and some parts of my legs have increased cellulite, WHY??!! With the amount of walking I do, uncool
• my Braxton hick's contractions are more different with this little one than with Max. I feel increased pressure between my temples that radiates to my brain. sometimes the contractions also go south and I feel like I need to have a bowel movement as well

^^ 34 weeks! ^^

• at 34 weeks, the baby movements are so much more intense.enough to shake my body sometimes when im sitting still. i read it's due to decreased amniotic fluid in relation to the baby...cool but uncomfortable at times. I know what it feels like to be "kicked" in the ribs, right greater than left
• heat wave is back and Max is not spooning me, which really means his arm is resting around my neck most of the time while he sleeps. since his arm, is so short, it actually feels like someone is choking me lol
• i seem to be waking up around the 0130-0400 time range lately to void, I wonder if this is a sign of when labor may start for round 2??!!
• once I do get up to void, baby also wakes up and it takes me an exasperating 1-1.5hours to get back to sleep!
• Occ. Health is hounding me at work re: sick hours, i've put in place some midwife approved limitations on my work ...i mean it's NOT worth it (ego vs. pre-term labor), im not sure im going to last the remaining shifts I have left. walking to the skytrain from work is already uncomfortable as it is. 1) pelvic floor discomfort because of the bouncing as I walk, 2) shortness of breath, 3) general lack of speed- which stresses me out because i dont want to miss my transfers
• it's hot again, and my pool is THE PLACE TO BE!
• NESTING!

^^ not much of a line nigra. lots of stretch marks (old ones though) ^^

Countdown! Weeks 30 and 31

• at 30 weeks: really sweaty, crappy sleeps at night because my exothermic toddler insists on being able to touch me while he sleeps. The fan is of no help
• I think my feet have gotten a little more swollen, had to loosen the buckle on the Birks
• i've been drinking too much coke and McCafe frapped drinks, I'm still quite surprised that I passed my gestational diabetes test. however, my thighs seem more like there is visible cellulite, so really need to cut down. Just saw that the stupid vanilla frappe drinks 85% of my daily fat intake. F F F F! 
• my linea nigra is emerging, currently faint at 30 weeks
• my skin has been extra sensitive to the effects of the cheaper brands of sunscreen when aerosolized in the air. randomly i just find myself scratching the back of my hands (right worse than left) and my inner forearms (also right worse than left) and I know I've been exposed whether directly or indirectly
• my eyelashes seems shorter and I haven't needed to shave my legs for a long time...maybe even since April

^^ 31 weeks and 4 days. seems pointier than a few weeks ago ^^

• at 30w, I'm officially throwing in the towel for full time 2 days 2 night work. tried 1 day shift hoping to come in the next but i was having perianal/pelvic floor pain after 1x 12 hour shift. i don't even think Kegels are useful with this 4/10 pressure down there. i have vacation mid-july to august, and then 2 more sets left!! 
• at 30w, fatigue seems to have returned just like during early pregnancy. I need sleep sleep sleep and this drought is not helping with the lethargy. I find it hard to do the initial get up and go out...nearly a daily mental and physical battle to get over that hump and then I'm ok for the day. general speed quite slow, but I've taken the activities down by a lot
• this HEAT WAVE IS BRUTAL. cleavage sweat...under breast sweat...neck sweat ...what! 
• my beloved peanut and jam on toast snacks give me heartburn
• the baby's movement has been organ churning. huge shifts in body that shake my body or just completely shuffle my organs internally
• my belt is on its last hole. uncomfortable when I'm having a contraction and need to breathe out and take the pressure of my lower abdomen. on a side note, yes I still wear a belt! some of these maternity pants I have are really crappy....fits in the legs, not in the waist...and I don't like the constant hiking up of my pants and having my thighs chafe 
• so hard to sit on the ground and cross my legs buddha style....even harder to get up from sitting on the ground. phew!
• conscious awareness that my belly is in the way! I felt some discomfort washing dishes, and realized it was my abdomen in the way of me reaching the dishes. also hard to squeeze into tight spaces as i can't just suck anything in anymore
• some close calls with leg cramping this 31st week. the past 6 weeks or so i've been waking up and flexing my leg which I think is normal and what i've always done all my life, but the escalation factor into full fledged Charlie Horse has been around 2/10. this 31st week though I've felt the intensity rise, and probably would rate it as 4-5/10. so far so good.  I just flash backed to my 31st week with Max and looks like my first leg cramp was at this time. Ow, ow, OW! 
• baby hiccups! I forgot how these used to feel...or at least I wasn't in tune to them before

stay tuned for weeks 32 and 33! (i know!)

Countdown! Third Trimester Weeks 28 and 29

^^ 28 weeks and 6 days ^^

^^ stretch marks from #1 exacerbated by #2 (feeling brave with this pic) ^^

• belly measuring 28" at 28 weeks
• heart rate 146bpm per midwife
• head down at 28 weeks
• weight gain approx 15-17lbs
• kicks on my bladder when I'm erect, on my left side when i wake up in the morning, and more commonly on my right upper quadrant throughout the day
• looks like when I'm out and about throughout the day, baby sleeps, and only when I rest do I feel movement. I think this was similar to Max, so I think I need to renew my relationship with the Ergo carrier
• decreased stamina, short of breath when initiating the days physical activities but so far able to keep up with the toddler
• As for Max, I'm not sure if he fully understands that there will be a new baby coming. He knows and uses her name, he uses the word "sister" correctly and he's quite understanding when he asks me to pick him up and I say I can't right now. He's always been very protective of me and almost always very gentle (vs. jumping on his dad and 'boxing' him and within him). I think he'll be a very very gentle brother and what I need to watch out most with him is my reaction towards him as a sleep deprived person, and making sure his feelings and needs for me are always met instead of being on the back burner because the new baby is here. I read somewhere that one way is to 'tell' the baby, that it's their siblings time right now (even though duh the baby will be completely clueless) but the to Max it'll show that he is just as important to me in all ways now that my time is shared with a sibling

• baby movement hasn't just been jabs but full fledged alien shuffling inside my peritoneum. i can feel most of the shifting on my right side. sometimes the body movements are a bit nauseating as my innards are being affected
• the ONLY shoes that doesn't give me body pain are my BIRKENSTOCKS for when i'm off, and of course the best work shoes of all time are my Dansko clogs. However, Dansko's don't work alone because I need to my have my 20-30mmHg compression stockings to make it through each shift...works wonders...MUST HAVE
• no linea nigra yet! 
• random braxton hicks contractions throughout the day, especially if I'm working. if it happens when I'm standing, it's an interesting tightening of the abdomen sensation. if it happens while I'm sitting down, there's this blooming sensation in my lower back and I can feel more intensity in my chest, midline and even my throat area
• utilizing my sick time, because 2 days and 2 nights are just too much...even worse, if I only have 4 days off
• this heat and drought are just brutal, on the cusp of being bearable

Next up weeks 30 and 31!

Baby #2: 23rd - 27th weeks!

The last leg of 2nd trimester!!

• been pretty energetic lately without caffeine when I'm off, where do I get the energy from? no idea, but I sure do feel it at the end of the day when I'm absolutely out like a light by 930pm (even before Max is asleep!)
• despite the seemingly endless energy, my achy body tells me I have to rest though, so I have to stop once in a while...if not also go to the bathroom. give me 5 minutes or less every now and then and I'm ok to keep going (even Max understands this!)
• my biggest joint complaint right now is that my right foot can't support me in a tip toe. I used to be able to stealthily (?? is that a word) creep out of Max's room but now my right foot hurts and I'm stumbling my way out of his room and being too noisy for someone trying to sneak out. thank goodness he hasn't woken up to me leaving yet!
• since pre pregnancy, at 24 weeks I've gained 10lbs!!
• biggest sensational indicator of weight gain/baby growth has been first thing in the morning when I stand at first, and feel a heaviness in my legs and then when I sit on the toilet to void and feel a pressure down there (kinda similar to post birth pressure when it feels like about to have a prolapse, but not in the slightest bit as overwhelming)
• breasts are firm and massive
• I've got some increased skin sensitivities especially to my inner forearms bilaterally, they're often itchy and the right one has a worst rash than the left. maybe detergent related? exacerbated by my scrubs at work too...which makes me scratch...which makes the rash worse
• i've been extra sensitive to aerosol sunscreen spray too. worst culprit has been the pool where people just liberally spray the CHEAP stuff in the air, all over....and it becomes airborne. Lo and behold, I'm scratching almost instantly. I have noticed though that the more I scratch, the worse it gets...so I have some control over how long i want to "suffer" with the hives
• the best shoes for walking miles upon miles while 6 months pregnant are my Saltwater Sandals. What is it about these shoes anyways that make them so comfortable? i think for me it's because they're so flexible and lack any hocus-pocus that it basically mimics the movement of my foot (guessing here). The second best are my Birkenstocks most likely because of the arch support but it somehow isn't fully snug on my foot and I feel like compensating in some way. By 'best' though, I mean because I have no sciatica-like buttocks pain within a few hours of being out and needing to offload by doing pelvic tilts. The worst pair of shoes I have are my Frye oxfords which are fine while not pregnant, but just kill by right buttocks/lower back within a few hours

^^ 26 weeks and 3 days! this shirt is getting pretty tight ^^

• some moments of panic when I realized that I haven't felt the baby move yet. I'm trying to figure out some consistent ways as to how to wake the baby up...irrational fears keep you awake at night
• I've been told I'm "carrying high" and thus revealing it was a girl. Didn't really know what it meant till I saw a mom-to-be and she was carrying quite low and overheard her saying "baby brother" ...what a huge difference. However, in my case I think all my belly fat has just been pushed up because if I suck my gut in, my uterus is actually bulging at an appropriate area 
• so hard to get up from the floor to standing erect...so.hard.so.short.of.breath 
• Big Mac's from McD tastes really really really good. I bought this Kraft "burger sauce" that makes me feel like I'm eating a Big Mac, but with homemade burgers
• any pastry or cheese bread from Safeway gives me heartburn...blech
• at 26 weeks, the summer heat wave is just starting in Vancouver. At night, the fan is basically on level 2, I have no blankets on, and only sleeping in my underwear. Going to be a doozy of a summer while pregnant! 
• eating a watermelon just puts the bloat factor into overdrive and I become short of breath, definitely not binging on this fruit this year
• my biggest complaint with this pregnancy has been the chafing of my inner thighs when wearing skirts, dresses, and pants that I need to keep hiking up because they don't fit properly. Luckily, some online friends told me about BODY GLIDE And it's been absolutely the best dang new product that's come to my life this year. no chafing people! I bought the "ladies" one at Sport Chek, which all in all is really just a gimmick. The handy thing about it though is the size and it fits in my backpack in case I have a moment while out. It's worked wonders and has kept me productive for longer hours, especially when it's a scorcher out! 
• it really takes some effort walking up hill, even a small hill. I feel out of shape initially, but feel good as the day goes on and even surprise myself with how much I do. I wonder though if i'm doing too much? hmmm
• Coca Cola tastes really really good
• I wouldn't say I have cravings where I need to eat something NOW. But there are things I enjoy more than others (like Coke...did I mention this already? hehe)
• I passed by gestational diabetes test...YES! Did the test after my last night shift. I was semi-hungry as we feasted at 1130pm the night before with a mediterranean potluck. The 75g orange drink was the absolute worst thing i've ever drank...essentially pure sugar in a melted orange crush concoction with no fizz. Gag +++. To top it off, I spent the 2 hours at a super crowded lab when I should've been sleeping...or at least had some leg room to sprawl. thank goodness for the movie Gone Girl on my phone via Netflix!

• Obstetric Estimation of Gestational Age			26		wk
  Glucose Load			75		g
  Fasting Glucose			4.5	< 5.1	mmol/L
  Glucose 1h			9.3	< 10.0	mmol/L
  Glucose 2h			7.7	< 8.5	mmol/L
  			PATHOLOGIST'S COMMENT: Normal Glucose Tolerance.

Baby #2: 18th to the 22nd week

18-22 weeks!

• real full fledged kicks in my lower abdomen! if you're wondering what these feel like at 18 weeks, to me with hand on abdomen, feels like someone inside is trying to push through your abdomen. you literally feel the up and down poke like motion. when my hand isn't on my abdomen though, to me it feels like bubbles are popping inside my uterus. as of 20 weeks, the little one has been kicking non-stop, I'm now at the point where I'm looking for the kicks throughout the day to check in that baby is ok
• we didn't have any issues in Mexico (thank God)! I drank water, ate all the food, and loved my stretchy bathing suit, dresses, and shorts with maternity panel. i think it's going to be a good, hot, sweaty summer...ill be happy as long as there's a pool or spray water nearby
• intermittent heartburn, sometimes for no reason, but one exacerbating factor has been Safeway donuts...which come to think of it, I only ate in desperation mode. currently banned from our kitchen per baby's request

^^ bump shot at 20 weeks! ^^

• i need to void all the time, seems like i don't empty my bladder fully, a little annoying since washrooms aren't always available. i was worried about this when we went on the Malecon because where the heck was i going to find a bathroom on the Mexicon boardwalk right? turns out, it was so hot I mustve sweated out the excess moisture 
• I finally revealed that I was pregnant to real life friends, workmates and instagram on my 21st week! I'm still getting looks of surprise and wonder that I'm nearly 6 months along. good ol' scrubs neutralize everything
• Ive just recently been feeling and seeing the growth spurt of this baby...or rather my WEIGHT GAIN (not sure if it's a bright idea to step on the scale at this point). Prior to going on vacation, my work clothes felt loose-ish and could definitely hide a bump. two weeks later, putting my scrubs on- bump sticking out, and pants are feeling kinda snug in the hips. because having a pump significantly shortens my scrubs at work, i've found the BeBand by BeMaternity to be extremely useful when trying to keep looking professional (vs. my lower gut hanging out in free air like a beer belly!)

^^ 21 weeks and 5 days ^^

• woken up by baby kicks at 22 weeks early in the morning, amazing feeling! this is my favourite part of being pregnant. At 22 weeks, i find that it feels different depending on how baby is positioned. when they're higher up on the abdomen it feels like very defined poking or stomping but from the inside. When baby is more erect, aligned with where my head is at and kicking near my bladder...it feels like something is blooming with each stomp. really hard to describe but it's not staccato (think hammer on nails), it visually feels like a rain drop falling on still water...the rings represent how the sensation kinda 'spreads'  and lingers a little longer. (probably because it's on my bladder and shaking up my urine in there)
• my complexion has never looked better...finally!
• Foods this bump is making me love! I have no willpower when it comes to these meals and I never really ate them pre-pregnancy:  Multigrain cheerios mixed in with some Captain crunch, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, honey oat crunch cheerios, two-bite brines  Tropi-Kale smoothy from Booster Juice, the Big Yummy smoothie from the Whole Foods Cambie Juice bar (soy milk, peanut butter, bananas, and some other things that make it perfect, dates), cake textured food, fried eggs, salads with candied nuts, chocolate
• Foods I'm completely turned off from: KFC, Safeway Donuts, chocolate protein smoothies that I used to drink on a near daily basis
• maybe going on vacation did it, but my stamina sucks lately. I have to rest more, get tired faster,  and or short of breath quicker...but maybe it's because i'm carrying a baby and heart needs to circulate more and work harder, and i feel I'm also heavier (clearly obvious whining!)
• does having a girl make you like more sweets? I'm really into sweets lately and am practicing a lot of self control so I don't get gestational diabetes
• my joints, especially my bum left knee seems to be clicking more lately when I'm walking (hormonal?!)
• need.more.sleep
• once in a while I have a Braxton Hicks contraction, love those feelings
• nesting!! I bought a plant and named it Jonny
• I have NO IDEA WHERE TO PUT THIS BABY once it's out
• 22w6d week midwife appointment went great! unremarkable appointment, baby is busy as usual, and my uterus is measuring at 24 weeks. in the next few weeks I need to take the dreaded gestational diabetes test

more to come

Baby #2: 13th to the 17th Week!

^^ 13 weeks and feeling more curvy ^^

13-15w6d:

• i'm finally back to my old energy levels! i'm ready to crash at 930pm and asleep within a minute, and for some reason, finding myself awake at 650am every.single.day.i'm.off ew
• had to re-do my NIPT test because the first sample came back with an error (2-4% category)
• met with the midwives and have officially registered into a hospital! I also got to hear the baby's heartbeat with a doppler- registering at 160bpm. I forgot what this sounded like, or at least, having the midwives visit in the comforts of your own home makes you relax so much more and really soak in moments like this. MY LAST 13 weeks doppler ever (as in no more babies after this one)
• teenager acne! ack. fighting hormones is a futile battle!
• food is tasting pretty good these days and i've been eating like shit. bad news though, most things I'm putting in my mouth aren't seasoned enough so i'm adding salt to a lot of things- which can't be great for my blood pressure now or in the future. however, like a lot of people out there, I still do it even though i know it's bad for me
• there's a localized spot on my left pelvic area that's bothering me if I press on it, maybe hormone related? I'm finding myself consciously repositioning a lot at night to get off the spot...which increases my empathy for bed bound patients in the hospital, so I've become more vigilant with pressure points and getting off of it
• speaking of position, I've been finding it easy to sleep on my right side lately but this is a no-no in the latter part of pregnancy so I'm trying not to enjoy it so much. I've been told it was "ok" unless you feel symptomatic but I can't help think that some mild mild cramping I get when I sleep on my right side is psychosomatic...symptomatic?? hmm..
• happy hormones are in full swing in T2! I haven't felt any irritability with my husband and even more relaxed with tone and snark. I just seem to be able to let it go these days, my husband thanks you Oxytocin! 
• WE HAVE OUR BABY NAMES!! but we're going to keep it a secret :op
• my breasts feel and look pretty full
• at 14 weeks, I'm finally wearing maternity clothing full time. it feels good and I love that i have a bump so early in the pregnancy!
• A&W Bacon and Eggers taste really, really really good....i can eat this every day if i would let myself
• I've been pretty bad and guilt ridden about my lack of eating healthy full time (heck even part time). I need some caffeine so i'm buying decaf mocha's and hot chocolates (negligible but caffeine levels still exists)- with shift work, some days it's just necessary. I've also been bad about soda and am enjoying Sprite (no caffeine, ?not as bad for you, not 7up). I'm not buying cans of this stuff or anything, and this is really just a substitute for Coke (high caffeine, everyone knows it's bad for you), but if it came as an option, I actually have to weigh the options based on what I've eaten for the day. I've also been eating feta, hot dogs, deli meats, chips, bacon...not excessively but y'know...
• really enjoying Max lately, and not letting the guilt of enforcing a loss on him with #2 sink in and affect my overall mental health with this pregnancy. i haven't exactly felt a strong connection with this baby yet...which is like what I felt with #1, and totally normal, but i'm totally loving being pregnant (and having an easy pregnancy) *knock on wood*

16w-17w

^^ 17 weeks ^^

• The NIPT test study assistant gave us a call at 16 weeks to tell us that we were cleared for neural tube defects and the trisomies
• so far I've slowly started telling people that i was pregnant but only if they've asked (and so far no one at work has asked because they're really politically correct and scrubs mask everything!).  i don't know why I'm just not blurting it out to any one and everyone. maybe I'm having some ego issues about my physical capabilities and want to be known that pregnancy doesn't limit capacity; that I'm strong mentally and physically and keep up with work (I also hold people to that bar and get annoyed when people don't meet the demands- and they're not even pregnant). BUT and a big huge BUT , I'm also in the fck it stage because I'm not going to play a hero especially when it comes to the viability of the baby and I'm not going to push myself when i should be taking it easy. I'm not going to expose myself to cytotoxics and whatever infectious diseases because of this inner 'battle,' y'know? EGO.
• some slight insomnia is happening right now at 17 weeks (improved from before), and my left hip is still bothering me
• we've started to introduce Max to the baby by its name. i want this baby to be of absolute no surprise, and i want him to become familiar with the name and being called Kuya (respect title for older boys in Tagalog). hopefully he has an easy transition once it arrives. 
• way back before we were pregnant, my friend gave us this book called I Used to be the Baby by Robin Ballard. the story is very simple and there are activities Max can relate to. I like the last page because it's how I'm feeling right now, guilt and all
• i bought my first baby item! ....a picture frame to hold both their pictures in! lol
• at 17 weeks, I'm having some brief panic attacks about being pregnant...am I still pregnant? because aside from a not so fast growing belly, i don't feel pregnant! I'm definitely still checking the post-void wipe for blood.
• my complexion is thankfully somewhat improving. knowing the gender, hindsight has been 20/20 
• I had an Exorcist moment when it felt like someone was drawing vertical lines inside my belly...someone as in baby! My midwife says it was all perfectly normal. Per her doppler, baby is moving like crazy with a heart rate measurement of 160bpm!
• my midwives also gave me some good advice to take at least one moment in the day to dedicate to this baby and pregnancy. with life and Max demands, it's becoming easier to put this pregnancy on the back burner because there just isn't time. bad, because it is SO TRUE, and I'm glad somebody pointed it out to me. i don't have a specific time of day for this baby, but during quiet times I'm trying to put my hand on the belly and just internalizing this last  miracle growing inside
• finally i'm showing! going to work the maternity clothes to my comfort level this time around! i like the simple philosophies for OhJoy! in her videos, but i can't find fun stuff in Vancouver, nor can I find clothes I don't want to spend too much money on because I won't be wearing them again- especially now since Target closed. 

more updates to come!

Para 3 Gravida 1!

I'm PREGNANT!!

EDD Sept 8, 2015!

There really is no good time to get pregnant. We aren't getting younger, or richer (maybe poorer), we'll never have enough of this or that, Max is getting older and at a prime age to be more helpful than needy, and really there is a point where I don't want to do all this baby stuff any more because dang it's not easy and one needs to have to be more than 'pretty energetic' to handle the demands of a little one. Nike got it right, "JUST DO IT!"

My favourite period app is called My Days. honestly the most basic and easiest to understand period/ovulation app out there. No CO/DPO/# vocabulary (i'm still saying WTF), no confusing graphics or options, minimal advertisement, and you can even plug in the option of when to try to have a boy or girl (seriously, there's a science to it). Highly highly recommend! Because I had irregular cycles varying from 26-32 days, I liked that this app gave me an estimated ovulation and period date. Super helpful for booking holidays, excursions, parties, get togethers etc. (who wants to book vacation when your period is happening!?), but alas, nothing is more accurate than symptoms your body is telling you -which did I mention you can also plug in the app? yes!

Anyhow, we found out I was pregnant on January 2nd, 2015! Per app, my period was supposed to come on December 26th (+\- 2 days), but I didn't really feel like following up until after the holiday season. I went to a walk in with my list of need to do's per the OB/Gyne, took a urine dip stick test, and like the good patient and rigid nurse that I am, walked out with what I intended. 

Unlike my first pregnancy, this second (or third?) pregnancy has put symptomatic on the map. 

=====> 0-5 weeks

• mild cramping in the lower abdominal area 
• random queasiness that went as fast as it came with no common denominator. lucky for me it never escalated to full blown nausea and vomitting
• very very vivid dreams almost every night that I was off and co-sleeping with Max
• bleeding gums; whenever I brushed my teeth I was often seeing pink in my spit
• sore nipples; showers were really uncomfortable and painful
• amazing sleep at night once my head hits the pillow

^^ 7 weeks!! ^^

=====> 6-9weeks
Because of my previous ectopic, one of the requirements was to get an early ultrasound to see if there was a gestational sac. What happened with my other pregnancy was I was pregnant, but the egg didn't implant in the right place. So fast forward to 7 weeks, something burst -> hospital -> PAIN! This time around, I saw a sac and a heart beat!! At 6w1d, baby was measuring at 6w with a heart beat of about 116bpm. At this time, my current EDD is September 9th, 2015!

• very vivid dreams, again every night when I co sleep with Max
• zapped of energy! This is the biggest symptom i've felt this first trimester. I just don't have ANY energy at work and having a hard time going that extra mile to help my colleagues (sorry!). To boot, caffeine is not recommended during pregnancy because of the increased risk of miscarriage, so even at the lowest point, I can't drink anything to boost my levels. At home, I'm pretty much done with my day at 9pm and out like a light before 10pm. My day's off are low key and enjoying more quiet activities like baking, watching movies, feeding ducks, quick trips to the grocery store as my accomplishment. Seriously, i've lowered the threshold exponentially compared to life before. On a positive note though, my night sleeps have been extra amazing and deep
• sleeping alone just before work was NON-EXISTENT, which exacerbated my already zapped body. day shifts were hard, night shifts were manageable, the 5 days off I had after my sets were spent at home, feeling half of myself, and just wanting to sit or sleep all day
• mild cramping in same lower abdominal area! stretch uterus, stretch!! 
• louder breathing through my nose even though i'm not sick
• urinary frequency. about 2 voids a night I would say, and even after a what seems like a full empty just before bed
• conscious awareness of uterus ie. i can feel a change in my abdomen if i am down on the ground putting my shoes on, feels like something is in the way
• when I do have a queasiness sensation, maybe akin to morning sickness, it's usually in the evening time just after dinner. I haven't thrown up yet!
• still fitting in regular clothing
•  nothing taste right. everything tastes blah and i've compensated by adding some extra salt (no no!). so far, the only two things that have satiated my taste buds are cocktail buns and bbq pork buns from New Town Bakery but i haven't gone the extra mile to satisfy this desire more often
• i've also reconnected with 2 midwives who I had met with my first pregnancy. They started a separate practice and get this, COME TO YOUR HOUSE for the appointments! What (!!!) Love them.

=====>10-12 weeks

^^ 10 weeks and 1 day ^^

• When the 10th week arrived, I woke up with about 25% improved energy levels. i thought it was the crappy Vancouver that was making me feel down and out, but the weather was still depressing at 10 weeks and I was more prepared to manage my day
• my sleeps prior to day shift (alone and in the king bed) have been really good lately. And by good i mean I'm asleep before 10pm without any wake ups until about 4am. I used to be a non-regular-coffee drinker (i liked soda for my caffeine fix) but when I needed that extra kick, i was all about the nespresso machine at work or a quick 7-eleven trip for their chai latte's (it's good, believe me!). But because caffeine increased chances of miscarriage, I quit it all together and WOW what a difference it has been. I NEED CAFFEINE to be sharp mentally and quicker on my feet! So at work, I'm happy with my work performance, but not with speed. not that I'm compelled to race, it's the mental decline that's bothering me! every now and then, I have a sip of coke or mix hot chocolate with a little caffeine shot for that extra ding of alertness. I realize there's a caffeine intake recommendation but I'm erring on the side of caution 
• food still tasted boring, and i have found that all my bad food indulgences (chips, chinese food, fries, calamari) weren't really worth the weight gain and cardiovascular damage. the worst culprit has been KFC which I kept burping up during my night shift and am now fully repulsed
• my new food love has been my veggie delight SUBWAY sandwiches which I recall I was very repulsed by when I was pregnant with Max. I also feel less guilt because it's all veg! i've had it twice in a week so far (in 10th week) and that's already more intake than my entire 2014!
• so far i've told about 4 people i was pregnant, and none being my family. strange occurrence at work though when i worked with a nurse with a sixth sense for pregnancy and time of delivery. she said she saw something about me which then followed with her repertoire of eerie and accurate predictions/feelings about other people in her life. she earned a reveal!
• I was lucky enough to meet the requirements of a UBC research study that provided free NIPT testing! and because it's a genetic study, I also get to find out the gender of the baby around 16-17weeks with 99.9% guarantee. "NIPT accurately measures the quantity variance of fetal and maternal chromosomal material and provides a screen risk for Down syndrome (trisomy 21), trisomy 18, and trisomy 13. The Down syndrome detection rate is >99% with a false positive rate of 0.1%. NIPT is not yet covered by MSP, and will cost the patient $795." 

Stay tuned!! 

Natural Ways to induce labor

40 Ways to induce Labor Naturally

http://wrylilt.hubpages.com/hub/Ways-to-induce-Labour-Naturally
(I highlighted the ones I will try)
(I highlighted the FORGET IT ones lol)

1. Acupressure - There are pressure points in the shoulder well, webbing between thumb and forefinger, heel and small of back.
2. Balsamic Vinegar - Add a dash to your salad. Definitely won't hurt to try!
3. Basil - Throw some in your cooking.
4. Black/Blue Cohosh - Taken in tea form is a common way to induce labor. Some midwives use it even during labor to increase slow contractions. There have been some studies claiming that it can have bad side effects for mother and/or baby however. I'd recommend research first.
5. Borage seed oil - Meant to have similar effects to evening primrose oil - dilating and effacing.
6. Bouncing on birth/exercise ball - Spreading your legs as well as the moving up and down can help the baby move down.
7. Bumpy car ride - Sometimes the baby just needs a bit of a jiggle!
8. Castor oil - Statistically speaking it only works on 57% of women and causes lovely things like diarrhoea and sometimes, vomiting. The theory is that the cramps in the bowel set off contractions. Opinion is still out on whether castor oil causes babies to pass meconium in the womb but a) most women using castor oil are overdue and b) babies that are overdue are more likely to pass meconium so you do the maths!
9. Chinese food - Not sure why, but some people have claimed this works a treat. Or maybe they just ate Chinese food all the time anyway, so they blamed it for the onset of labor. Worth a try!
10. Clary sage oil - Use for aromatherapy as an oil or in a candle.

11. Dancing - Don't do anything too drastic - pole dancing might be a bit much! But if you get in there and swing your hips around a lot, there's a chance baby might think about coming out.

12. Eggplant - Many people swear by eggplant parmigiana.
13. Evening primrose oil - Can be taken orally from 35 weeks and used internally (good idea to do this at night and use a panty liner) from 38 weeks. It's meant to soften the cervix so that even if you do get induced, the doctor may be able to break your waters and not need any further intervention to bring on labor.
14. Galloping - Many women claim that imitating a horse can help start labor. See the video further down!
15. Glass of Wine - The slight effects of the alcohol are said to bring on labor, however remember that drinking during pregnancy is NOT recommended. You might want to check this with your doctor first.
16. Golden seal - Taken in tablet form is easiest.
17. Kneeling on all fours - A friend of a friend was told to do this. Swing the hips back and forth. Her waters broke just a few minutes later. Coincidence? Maybe!
18. Licorice - Try to get the natural kind - it contains more licorice and usually less sugar. Like castor oil, some people claim that the slightly laxative effect can cause cramps in the bowel which lead to contractions.
19. Mandarin oil on heels - Had a friend recommend this. It didn't work for her, but worth a try!
20. Massage - Find a massage therapist qualified to work with pregnant women. Many will know various points to massage to induce labor. This is why massage is not recommended during the early stages of pregnancy.
21. Motherwort - Taken in tea or pill form.

22. Nipple stimulation - Needs to be done for approx an hour at a time. The verdict is out on this - some people claim that it causes very strong contractions which can be dangerous. I tried it and I had barely more than cramps! For increased stimulation try either a breast pump or borrowing a friend's newborn baby (although you might want to be close friends!).
23. Oregano - Throw some in your cooking!
24. Orgasm - Orgasms cause contractions which is part of what feels so good. That's why many women enjoy orgasms more during pregnancy! You can try this alone or with a partner... whatever you're comfortable with.
25. Pineapple - Best taken fresh and raw. Statistically speaking, the chemicals which pineapple contain, which are said to start labor aren't very high. So that means about 7 pineapples should put you into labor!
26. Quinine - Not quite sure how it works but I've read that it is used in various countries - either pill or liquid form.
27. Raspberry leaf - Taken either as a tea or pill. Start at about 34 weeks - opinion is divided as to whether it will start labor, but it definitely strengthens the uterus, leading to a (hopefully) shorter labor, because each contraction can achieve more.
28. Relaxation excercises - Try some relaxing music and just lie back or even join a meditation class.
29. Sperm - If you feel up to sex, this is a good start towards getting ready for labor. The sperm helps soften and dilate the cervix.
30.Spicy food - A very well known labor starter! The reason it works may be because of the upset it causes to the digestive system which then upsets the uterus. Not highly recommended.

31. Squats - Doing a few of these each day often helps to move the baby down and into position.
32. Squaw Vine - Old remedy. Not sure how well it works.
33. Stretch and sweep of membranes - Your midwife or doctor can perform this simple procedure. A finger is inserted into the cervix and a gentle 'sweep' of the finger slightly separates the uterus wall and amniotic sac, sometimes leading to labor within hours or days. Some women say it's an easy, painless procedure, others claim it can be very painful. How well it works can also depend on if you are very far dilated or not.
34. Swimming - Relaxed swimming can help bring out the baby - both the water and the movement help.
35. Swinging on a swing - Similar to a bumpy car ride but probably a bit easier on mum.
36. Thyme Tea - Worth a try!
37. Visualisation excercises - Many women swear by these. Try making a recording of yourself talking about the baby moving down, preparing to be born etc or just imagine it in your head.
38. Walking - The bumping up and down can help the baby move into the birth canal. In fact, this is one of the few ways that most doctors agree on for starting labor.
39. Walking up/down stairs - More bumping up and down! The further lifting of the legs can help with moving the baby if walking doesn't seem to.
40. Yoga - Many places offer special classes for all stages of pregnancy

39 weeks...1cm dilated ...yep, anytime now would be great!

Your baby's crown-to-rump length at this time is approximately 14.4 inches and the total length is approximately 21.5 inches. The average baby weighs a little more than 7 pounds now and is preparing for birth. You are probably as big as you are going to get and may be uncomfortable now. Most women gain between 25 and 35 pounds during their pregnancy. Your uterus is about 7-8 inches above your bellybutton now.

• at the midwife again today (if you haven't noticed, my appointments are every week, every tuesday)
• BP 112/88 on both arms - she said it was getting close to a diastolic (the bottom) number that would make her worried (DBP should be less than 90) so I have to go to a pharmacy on thursday and get my blood pressure checked in one of their machines and page them with the results. i'm asymptomatic and not at all worried...but of course, i have to admit i have no clue as to what is an ideal BP for pregnant women
• baby HR 140ish, found under my navel in the pelvic area
• weight (with HEAVY winter shoes that i couldnt take off) was 183.4lbs. Im pretty sure i didn't gain much weight this week..it was the shoes i tell you! haha
• belly measuring 39 cm
• midwife talked to me about acupuncture to 1) lower the BP and 2) to help prepare the body for labor- something more natural so i dont have to possibly be induced and thus prevent that cascade of interventions i'm trying to steer clear of.  i was supposed to get a list of recommended acupuncturists from her prior to us leaving the appt. but of course, i forgot! ugh!
• did you know it's normal for first time pregnancies to go passed the due date? like 41 and even 42 weeks? this is something we're told to do some homework on- as in HOW LONG DO I WANT TO STAY PREGNANT FOR?! seriously, im not even that comfortable with 41 weeks but i also don't want to be induced! it's the baby's hormones that trigger when labor starts- when it's ready it's ready- but ideally, baby can't cook forever as the placenta doesn't last forever
• so what did we do today? STRETCH AND SWEEP of the membranes! What is a "stretch and sweep" you ask?

From Wikipedia:

• "Membrane sweep", also known as membrane stripping, or "stretch and sweep" in Australia and the UK - during an internal examination, the midwife moves her finger around the cervix to stimulate and/or separate the membranes around the baby from the cervix. This causes a release of prostaglandins which can help to kick-start labor.

A more detailed definition can be found here: http://www.birth.com.au/Induced-labour/Sweeping-the-membranes-for-induction-about

• it definitely didn't hurt just felt mild pressure
• she said my cervix was 1cm dilated- which technically means just that, 1cm dilated and nothing to get super excited about
• that my cervix was "soft" and "long"
• that it could kickstart labor, but it also may not
• that if i don't have the baby by next appt, we'll do another sweep then. commonly it takes more than 1 session
• that i may experience cramping/contractions afterwards- nothing major for me (addendum: cramping overnight!)
• that i may experience spotting- nothing happening here
• low infection rate by doing this intervention
• risk of water bag breaking during the procedure - didn't happen to me
• that this intervention isn't really "necessary," though it may help. up to the mom to decide what she would like to do, how long she wants to stay pregnant for, or even if she prefers to let things progress naturally
• i honestly didn't decide WHAT i wanted to do until really that split second moment- as in my head i was like "lets get this going"

Although your baby continues to grow and develop inside of your uterus, there is not much room for him to move about. All of your baby's organ systems are now complete and the lungs were the last to fully mature.

• i definitely agree with this statement. there isnt much room in there left. again, i dont even have to look for the baby anymore, the baby is just there and when it moves, my belly moves in waves and ripples. the same prominences are where it should be thank goodness- lets keep the baby's head down shall we!
• im sure i mentioned this before, but i love watching my belly move in waves and ripples and pulsate!
• lots and lots of braxton hicks this week. the back is less involved, just a lot of tightening from top to bottom. i quite enjoy the sensation!

If you are uncomfortable with your pregnancy at this time, you are not alone. Most women are ready to deliver their babies. It would be very unusual for you to not be uncomfortable at this time. Your uterus has grown a lot and now fills your entire pelvis and abdomen. Try not to ask your doctor to induce you, unless it is medically necessary. Your cervix is ripening in preparation for delivery and your bladder is under a lot of pressure.

• i have to admit that this week was quite uncomfortable in many ways
• my stupid left hip still is achy at night - again, until i can reposition myself again other than having 1 option (sleeping on my left) i don't think i can help this problem
• i finally found shoes that i can walk all day in without having back pain! woot woot! Good ol' Frye Archie boots- but only good when it's snowing out or when it has snowed out or I look like im going for a hike
• im pretty sure this baby has DROPPED as there are now movements in my lower pelvic area that i've never felt before or at least as significantly as i've felt it this week
• even with a moderately full bladder, going down a flight of stairs is an urgent matter- i honestly feel like im going to pee in my pants and have to find a bath room stat! just the bouncing of baby's weight on my bladder = not fun, unless you want to wear urine soiled pants all day
• so hard to sit down on the ground
• harder to get up from the ground without having to go on all fours first
• hard to get up off the toilet (like i feel like i need a raised toilet seat! haha)
• hard to get off the couch from a sitting position
• heavy belly, heavy everything!
• that really weird inguinal blooming/stretching/dislocating sensation every now and then. now it's bilateral
• belly is itchy (stretch!)
• hard to put on socks and shoes if laces need to be tied
• hard to put on pants and underwear
• just feel a little less flexible in the hip areas- maybe i should've done more yoga!?
• honestly though, despite all of these symptoms- this pregnancy has been awesome and i quite enjoy being pregnant! hehe

You may feel nervous about the upcoming labor. You will know when you are in labor because contractions will get worse when you move around and they will also get stronger and more frequent. Other signs of labor are the breaking of your water or a bloody show as the mucus that plugged your cervix becomes dislodged.

• no mucous plug (as one solid blob, but pieces are coming out. again TMI!!), no water breaking (my mom said her water never broke on its own, she just had a lot of pain all of a sudden), no bloody show
• lots of vivid dreams that i unfortunately can't remember in detail- but there have been some labor related dreams
• i think im feeling mildly anxious about labor...MILDLY. i think this has something to do with me feeling like im going to be overdue, and this baby being huge and the tearing and rippage associated with birthing a big baby
• i just noticed that my boobs are way bigger than when i noticed them last
• my nipples look very nipply- is that a word? oh and theyre quite sensitive, like sometimes the fabric of my pjs irritate them..ugh!
• my areolas are bigger but not like giant silver dollar big!- yep TMI!
• suitcases are in the car and packed
• all baby stuff that will touch the baby's skin in the next 3 months are pre-washed

Most of the lanugo on your baby should be gone by now. Your baby still may have some on his shoulders and in the creases of his body. Your baby's toenails have reached the end of his toes. The umbilical cord is about a half inch thick and may be wrapped around him. The umbilical cord still supplies the baby with nutrients that he needs. After delivery, your baby's umbilical cord will be clamped and cut. After it is cut, he will be an independent human being and must perform all of his body functions on his own. Your baby will get antibodies from your body that give his immune system a boost

• i really hate this idea/image of the cord wrapped around the neck. like it's just that one last hump. trying not to think about it!

How your life's changing:

At each of your now-weekly visits, your caregiver will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. She might also do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). But even armed with this information, there's still no way for your caregiver to predict exactly when your baby is coming. If you go past your due date, your caregiver will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue — or sooner if there's an indication that the risk of waiting is greater than the risks of delivering your baby without further delay.

• if i am SUPER overdue, i am scheduled for an NST (fetal monitoring) and ultrasound on Feb 3rd
• i really don't want to be overdue or have to be induced! ugh!
• on a side note, im not actually sure if im really READY to have this type of responsibility. hmmmm...maybe i should've thought about that before getting pregnant right? haha. i am however ready to have this baby out, not because im tired of being pregnant, just tired of the limited range of motions and discomfort

While you're waiting, it's important to continue to pay attention to your baby's movements and let your caregiver know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem.

• i do still sometimes check if baby is moving in the middle of the night. usually after i get up to void and i regain some sort of consciousness and subsequent paranoia. thankfully, it's much faster to get a response now from baby. sometimes the baby is already moving before i decide i want to check...awesome...leads to an easier transition back to that deep sleep
• did i mention my sleeps have been awesome this week? 1130pm to 9:30am daily!

Also call if you think your water may have broken. Membranes rupture before the beginning of labor in about 8 percent of term pregnancies. Sometimes there's a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there's only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If you rupture your membranes and don't start contractions on your own, you'll be induced.

• what do i do if this happens in public? im lucky now that i can wear a long coat. should i be carrying a pad in my purse in case the wetness doesnt stop- which i dont think it will?! hmmm

On a final note, i had an awesome baby shower at my place this week. thank you all for coming! There are pictures in a camera, but currently too lazy to upload or figure out how to upload as it's not my camera to begin with! Soon they'll be up! hehee