37 weeks...FINALLY full term!

Happy New Year!!

You are considered full-term now and your baby's final touches are being made. The crown-to-rump length of your baby is now 14 inches and the total length is around 21 inches. Your baby weighs approximately 6.5 pounds. Your uterus may be measuring about the same as it has been and is probably about 6.5 inches from the top of your bellybutton.

• had another midwife appt yesterday with someone I never met before, but i think she's quite competent and really matter of fact with a somewhat nurturing demeanor...i say we clicked alright
• my weight has blossomed to 179.4lbs! WTF! i could NOT have gained closed to 3lbs in a week, either last weeks scale was wrong or this weeks scale was wrong. anyhow, the only noticeable swelling ive noticed is that my hands get swollen after a few hours of shopping (this isnt new, probably from my arms dangling as i walk) and this results in tight wedding rings- which im going to stop wearing this week before i can no longer take them off. otherwise, either this fluid or fat weight is dispersed quite evenly or im retaining SOMEWHERE that's not obvious
• my BP was 116/88 something like that and she took it from both arms...in my opinion, that's awesome, but i guess to a maternal health expert like a midwife, the diastolic was way too high (shouldn't really be close to the 90 range) and she got worried, so i was sent for bloodwork CBC and LFT's, plus a urine protein:creatinine ratio- she's essentially worried about pre-eclampsia (read more about pre-eclampsia HERE)
• my fundus was measuring about 35cm, "normal range"
• baby's heart rate was at 140bpm
• BCBio LOST my GBS swab from last week- or rather, the word was, "never received it" ...so had to do another one and i personally handed the swab culture to SPH myself
• my hgb 131
• and i got a copy of my mw health records to put in my suitcase in case we needed to go, but im not sure why I needed a copy?! oh well

This week your baby should engage into your pelvis. If this is not your first pregnancy, it may happen later. When your baby engages, his head drops down into your pelvis and you might feel a slight sensation called `lightening` as the pressure on your ribs eases. As your baby drops into the final position for delivery, you may experience a buzzing feeling and shooting pains in your groin and leg. Normally, you will be able to breathe and eat easier. However, your uterus pushes down harder on your bladder and you will have an increased urge to urinate more frequently. Even if your baby engages now, you still possibly feel his feet in your breastbone around week 40.

• my last day of work was Jan 1st...thank the LAWD!! but once in a blue moon, i do feel like i can do maybe an easy 8 hour shift on OT every now and then.  last day was great, did the best i could, didn't blow up on any patients (just kidding, this doesnt happen), but soooo tired after! i think i had a carb crash from the cake, coke, and the most amazing spinach dip! my shoes are still missing though...what the fck is up with that?!!?!
• ive been taking a few naps these last few days...is it just me or have textbook symptoms been revealing themselves since i stopped working? anyhow, i just need to lie reclined on the couch, and im out! haahaha...and i can still have a good nights sleep afterwards a few hours later. much to my dismay, i admit i feel kind of tired lately! yowza!
• im not sure if baby has dropped though, like right now it feels like moderate pressure, but baby bounces back up i think after a good nights sleep. i was at park royal dilly dallying and im sure all the walking just pushed baby down some
• i find it really interesting that after i wake up from my night sleep, there is a definite and pronounced lopsidedness in my abdomen...like the baby's entire torso is on my left side (again, hence stretch marks) and just a light pronouncation on my right side...by the time i get moving and up, my abdomen evens out. but it is really cool to just picture baby's position with the obvious lopsidedness
• speaking of DISCOMFORT (TMI Warning!), im not sure WTF happened but i must've eaten something horrible on jan 2nd. like, all i can think of was hummus (unopened, expires feb 2012)?! take note, don't eat hummus for breakfast with a bowl of cereal! anyhow, that hummus was the only different thing i ate all day ...and i was feeling weird all day afterwards. couldn't really pinpoint it as nausea, just that i felt off. anyhow, at 10pm that night i puked a most massive wonderful puke. i was watching Slumdog Millionaire and i got up from a lying position, and was like, "uh oh, tie up your hair, go to the bathroom" in my head...so i raced to the BR and just had some major projectile vomitting (projectile, but it was still in the sink and toilet). LOL! i had 2 tacos at dinner, and it was alllll there! i think i spewed about 2-2.5L of food and fluid within 5 minutes or less...seriously...I wow'd myself! then i felt great after and had a great night sleep
• on jan 3rd, i was having contractions all frickin day, and some remnant ones continue to occur even now though not as bad yesterday. the only reason i went out yesterday was for the midwife appt. i think the contractions really caused my "high" BP but whatever, better be safe than sorry right. and yesterday was great in the sense that Gene came along for the first time to one of my appts.  since my water hasnt broken and i've had no bloody show or mucous plug coming out...neither her or i thought it was necessary to do a cervical exam. so she logged the info, and that was the end of that.
• What do contractions feel like you ask? well my contractions...which i now think were false labor contractions (read more about false labor vs. true labor HERE), probably was brought on by dehydration secondary to my most amazing emesis the other night. i guess that late of a night of puking, and the amount, just drained me and i didnt compensate enough prior to going to bed (who wants to pee all night anyways right?) so yes...dehydration = contractions. anyhow, my contractions were irregular about 8-20 minutes apart ALL frickin day. lasting 5-35seconds each one, and not really increasing in intensity from day to evening, but i thought was pretty uncomfortable. it feels like someone just grabbed your arm (but in this case your uterus) and was doing an "indian rub" on it, but not as hard as you think they can. because i never had menstrual cramps, the internet said it feels like bad cramps. sometimes i even had this "blooming" feeling in my lower back...which i previously described as a "stretching" feeling with every contraction. i think i coped pretty well, drug free, did some breathing and position changes...a magic bag warmed up took the edge off...so i guess ill be requesting some hot blankets when im in true labor. better stock up maternity unit!! haha. anyways, i was able to have another good nights sleep with the odd cramping here and there...so hence the conclusion of false labor. the midwife says it's all normal and the cervix is preparing itself now...anytime now! with previous braxton-hicks contractions, i just felt tightness, but the scheduling of actual PAIN is right on target with being term...mother nature!

 

magic bags are awesome

Your baby is now fully mature and ready to be born. However, your baby is still growing and developing every day. Fat is still being laid down at a rate of a half ounce a day. If this is your first pregnancy, you can expect to deliver closer to 40 weeks or shortly thereafter. If this is not your first baby, you might go earlier than 40 weeks! Make sure that your bags are packed for the hospital and remember to preregister for admission.

• bags aren't fully packed that's for sure, but this recent "scare" really makes me want to get sheit done ASAP. ok, maybe tonight even! Gene seems to think this baby is coming early, i think it'll be on time if not overdue by a few days

Your doctor may begin doing weekly pelvic exams to evaluate your cervical changes and progression. Your healthcare provider will make sure that you are not leaking amniotic fluid and will also examine your cervix to check for effacement and dilation. Before labor, your cervix is thick and 0% effaced. During labor your cervix thins out and right before delivery it will become very soft and 100% effaced.

• maybe the cervical exams will come at next week's appointment? honestly, i dont even know where they would do it at the midwife's office as there's a fabric couch there!! can we say NASTY?!?! ok, i do imagine they put some disposable soaker pad on the couch, but still...this is when i miss the sterility of a doctors office when you can easily imagine someone wiping down whatever you're lying on, on top of ripping that waxy/paper cover they usually have on top as an added layer of protection!

Research shows your baby can be affected by stress hormones. Make time to relax, to have fun, and to rest. Your baby has learned to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing so it can do all three when breastfeeding after birth. Babies practice shallow breathing before birth, using amniotic fluid.

• definitely resting, but this is im part because im experiencing some shopping burnout post holidays. i went to park royal mall today, something new something different, but i only wanted to go to staples and future shop for a cheap DSLR camera deal- none found. Good! im not even sure why i even bother thinking about buying such a camera to begin with when 1) i hate getting my pics taken, 2) it's expensive, 3) when i borrow my sisters DSLR, I don't use it as much as i plan to. weird weird weird. i think im in the "i want it, for the sake of having one" stage. blah!
• as for BABY HAUL, i bought some stuff this week with the help of my parents and coworkers (thank you xoxoxo)

SKIP HOP Duo diaper bag in the Wave Dot pattern

• diaper bags are on sale at TJsKids until Jan 15th (20% off, i rarely see these bags on sale!)...so my parents got me this for Christmas
• and for the pragmatic part of me, i also ended up buying the BORN FREE microwave sterilizer with high recommendations from Sarah.  she's right, who wants to wake up in the middle of the night and turn on the stove? microwave it for 4 minutes!

• and finally, as breastfeeding still seems to be something im feeling im not exactly on top of yet...but need to be ready for...i bought a Medela Swing Pump. Recommended by many! honestly, i was still on the fence about which breast pump to buy even just minutes before paying...but Gene says to make life easier and devote the time to the kid instead of pumping for who knows how long it'll take.

How your life's changing:

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) 

• yes!

Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.

• like i said previously, BCBio LOST my GBS swab! maybe ill know tomorrow as the midwife wanted to follow up with me

It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.

• im still getting left hip pain at night but it doesnt wake me up per say. when i do wake up is when i feel it and thus reposition. right now my left shoulder is also achy if i've slept on that side for long periods. but in general, ive been sleeping great! the worst part of the nights are when i need to get up to pee and then cannot get back to sleep even after an hour of restlessness...then i move to the living room where i eventually fall asleep, but end up feeling bummed out for the rest of the day. so last night/this morning i actually just sucked it up and let myself be restless in bed, and eventually fell asleep. all good, no bummed out feeling. im averaging maybe 9-10 hours of sleep a day for the month of dec and so far in Jan. pretty good!! believe me, im savoring every hour of it!
• im definitely on top of the kick counts, like DEFINITELY.

While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

• havent really had any dreams about baby recently...or even within the last month or so. i am having dreams, but cant remember 99% of them. i do remember dreaming about Donnie Wahlberg in the NKOTB days a few days ago...dont remember what it was about, but i remember waking up thinking he was my new fave NKOTB member hahaha

Stretch Marks aka Striae

Why don't pregnancy and baby belly advertisements/books/pictures show images like this?

NOT my belly- Photo Credit

******Because it's U-G-L-Y!!******

I can only HOPE that I have a baby belly that looks like this

Photo Credit

What are stretch marks?  According to Wikipedia,

"Stretch marks are often the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth (common in puberty) or weight gain (e.g. pregnancy, muscle building, or rapid gain of fat) or, in some cases, severe pulling force on skin that overcomes the dermis's elasticity...

Between 75% and 90% of women develop stretch marks to some degree during pregnancy. The sustained hormonal levels as a result of pregnancy usually means stretch marks may appear during the sixth or seventh month, primarily during the 3rd trimester, as that is when skin tends to be subjected to higher levels of stretching forces."

Great, oh lucky me!

Maybe it's just a cultural thing that stretch marks are ugly? Aren't they considered "love lines" or "trophy" lines in some culture?  Shows active fertility and child bearing abilities! I wonder?!  Why the heck don't celebrities have stretchmarks?! Why why why!?

Anyhow, I also know that stretch marks are hereditary and essentially non-preventable!!  My mom has stretch marks around her side but I don't know if those were from pregnancy or the weight she gained once she moved to Canada.  To my surprise though, she doesn't have frontal abdominal stretch marks like you see above..those gross horizontal maroon lines running vertically down your abdomen. (can you tell how unimpressed I am?)

Sadly, I had stretch marks behind my legs when I was a blossoming teenager, and I can still even see stretch mark residue (ie. faded lines) around the side of my boobs.  I also have some stretch marks around my side, just like my mom which has existed all my life for as long as I remember.  And well, I have accepted those as a part of my life- but I don't go walking around in a bikini on the beach because of it! Ugh! Oh well, Gene doesn't care, he asked about them at one point when we were first going out, and he was gracious enough to tell me about his stretch marks experience though his have faded to non-existent.  (I think that scored some major brownie points for future husband material haha!)

What am I doing about it?

So far, no new stretch marks have showed up since becoming pregnant.  However, I am carefully watching and if I see myself or realize that I am scratching at some localized spot- it's running to the mirror and seeing if something is showing up!  There's lots of products out there like cocoa butter, Bio-oil, and Mederma. Most are definitely targeted towards pregnant women as stretch marks are a major source of self consciousness.  None of course advertise the prevention of stretch marks, but "reduce the appearance of" them.  I'm good with that FOR NOW! 

Right now, i'm going natural and using some sweet almond oil.  It's natural, it's nourishing, not super greasy, it's nicely priced, and even though it's nut based; won't put my child at risk for a nut allergy.

Photo Credit



Plus, sweet almond oil is a carrier oil that RMT's use for their massages- so I know from before that I have not reacted to it.  Finally, can I mention again that sweet almond oil is NATURAL and basically, has one ingredient unlike certain above mentioned oils that have things like Retinol in it?! Oh well.  Currently, a few minutes after my DAILY and nightly shower, I slather almond oil around my belly, my sides, and my boobs.  Keeps the moisture trapped in the skin post shower, and it's just easier in general to remember to do it.  Also, though i'm not on a diet, i'm not using pregnancy as an excuse to eat like a pig!  I'm doing the best I can with some rules in portions and better food choices (however, chips and possibly sushi are another story- i can eat it everyday with every meal). 

So far so good- NO NEW STRETCH MARKS!! I can't beat the freakin' genetics but i'm at least going to put up a fight!

Weight Gain and Related Apprehensions

Photo Credit

Even though I consider myself as having a positive body image, i'm finding myself presented with fears regarding the inevitable weight gain pregnancy will bring along.  I'm about 5'5/5'6 and starting weight 155lbs (give or take 2-3lbs) and tipping the scale at 180lbs (let alone 190lbs or 200lbs) really freaks me out!  I haven't weighed myself yet, but I generally feel the same, and my clothes still fit so i'm feeling good.  I wonder how i'll feel when that day comes when my favorite pants don't fit?  I don't even care about the waist part, it's the thighs, the bum, that general "can't find my size" shopping dilemma.

I try to eat the same breakfast everyday (fruit, water, ground flax smoothie) and All Bran Buds as I think healthy beginnings like this helps you make better choices during the day.  I am not eating for two in terms of portion sizes, I actively think if I "need that extra _____," or "should I eat that _____?" and am fortunate enough to currently have a job that forces allows me to walk steps that can be measured in Kilometres.  As for generalized fitness, well we don't have a car but we have a scooter.  There are definitely limitations as to how much we can do and carry, so I definitely have the option to transit and walk most of the time.  

So what's the fear? Weight gain is INEVITABLE!  I think the recommended about is 25lbs but people usually gain more than that secondary to other factors and comorbidities.  How easy is it to lose that weight?  How do people gain excessive weight? Argh!  I've recently signed up for a forum, and asked this question.  To my surprise, I wasn't judged, and there were people who felt the same way. 

Some sage advice and experiences:

• I gained a lot of water weight right after having my babies. I blamed it on the epidural
• I tried not to let being pregnant be an excuse to break all the rules in the book
• As for the weight gain, I know it's hard but you just have to trust your body to gain what it needs to. Your body needs calories for your growing baby, and for fat stores for breastfeeding. Just eat healthy and exercise and leave the rest up to nature. Don't get too down on yourself. You will likely have some weight to lose after the baby comes, but with a little work it will go away.
• Each person is unique in how they carry baby weight and how they get rid of it
• Just try to eat healthy and get exercise (even just walking) when you can, and don't beat yourself up over the small indulgences
• If you are maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle during your pregnancy I would just let your body do what it has to and deal with it when the baby is born
• Try breastfeeding, I think you burn about 3000 Kcals a day
• There is plenty of time to exercise after the baby is born
• let go of the apprehension and accept it for what it is.  Do what you're supposed to and the body is doing what it's supposed to. Just gotta trust it
• Don't worry about the weight gain. Just want to have a baby
• most people I know lost 20-30 lbs within the first month post partum.
• you're healthy and that's all that matters
• I'm NOT dieting or depriving myself, but rather just being mindful of how much and what I'm eating
• Honestly there is already enough to worry about why worry too much about the weight. You will put on what you will need to put on as long as you don't follow the eating for 2 rule all the time, but don't beat yourself up if you really want that extra cookie or the whip cream on the Frappucino
• Remember, it's about the baby!

Ok, I should feel somewhat settled right?  Now for some scientific evidence for the evidence based learners like myself.

Photo Credit and Enlargement

Photo Credit and Englargement