35 week apointment

Had my 35 week doctor's appointment yesterday and all is going well.

• My blood pressure was 102/68
• Baby heart rate was 144
• Tummy measurement was 36 cm
• My weight...well let's just say I am "right on track." ;-)

Meg said the baby is still head down and she is filling up the belly space nicely. She said the itching is normal and the "big" movements are normal as well. More movements are always good. I know this is bizarre but, I was worried her movements were a sign of distress or "unhappiness." Meg said there is not a conclusive way to determine why a fetus moves one way vs. another and not to worry. Whew.

Also, since the baby's heart rate is the same as it was 2 weeks ago, I am guessing it is normal. Meg didn't seem alarmed or anything - so I am not either.

Next time I go into see Meg (12/10/10) I am having my Strep B test (ugh), but she will also be able to tell me if my cervix has effaced (softened/thinned) or if I am dilated. She will also be able to tell me exactly how baby girl is positioned. (yeah).

We organized the great room on Sunday, so we could put up the Christmas tree and the nativity. Of course in true Heather fashion, I strung the lights BEFORE checking to see if they all worked and the string in the middle will not light up! grrr. So minor FAIL on the Christmas tree decorating. No fear the love/hate relationship I have with Wal*Mart continues and I have gotten 400 white lights for $10! So tonight I will attempt to finish the tree.

Andy has finished closing in the fireplace with insulation and walls. The tile is finished as well. He is SO talented when it comes to tile. I have no patience for it at all. I can grout, but actually laying out the tile and adhering it to the mortar...not my cup of tea. He is in the process of finding the right stove pipe kit that will go with our new wood burning fireplace/stove. We have ordered it and paid for the stove, just waiting on it getting shipped to the store so we can pick it up. I am so super stoked to get it going and having a toasty kitchen/dining room.

The weather down here is dismal to say the least. On Thanksgiving day it was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! I think it was 65* and sunny? But then the rain and cold everyone else experienced set into the South as well. The added "bonus" we have to living in the south is rain. It has been raining and raining and raining. Funny thing, peeps in TN do not want to do anything when it is raining...least of all drive correctly. Well, I am sure you have listened to me ramble on about how horrible the TN drivers are, but when it rains they are even worse! Hard to imagine, but true.

Well, ta ta for now.

Heather

35 week vlog!

So I attempted to post a video blog (vlog) this morning and total FAIL. Then, I went shopping at Hobby Lobby and got some hooter hider supplies and some binding for baby girl's quilt that I am going to try and make tonight. Whew. Good break, cuz when I got back I figured out how to split up my super EPIC long 1st vlog. FYI it is 25 min!!!!! omg. I thought I wouldn't have enough to say to fill 10 min. :o

At the end of my super duper long vlog, I ask your opinion about something. Feel free to post a comment about it here or you can find my vlog on YouTube. You can find the videos I have posted if you type "2sweetmomma" into the search field on the home page of YouTube.

I hope this turns out...it was easier to talk than to write, but not sure if this is how I will continue to blog/vlog...tell me what you think--either way.

Take care, Heather

8 months

Today started off well and then hit a bump in the road, but it is a beautiful day in Chattanooga and I can't stay in a funk and not enjoy my friends and family.

I had a prenatal massage scheduled today, but the massage therapist called in sick. Boo. Then the spa couldn't get me rescheduled for 2 more weeks! UGH. I totally understand the fact the massage therapist was sick, but the salon should have a) more than 1 massage therapist on staff and b) try to fix the situation better than just trying to offer me an appointment in 2 weeks. When I did massage, if I had to cancel on a client I would offer to come in at any other time that would work for the client. I would also offer additional services to try and make up for it. I would do anything to keep them as a client, hey they were paying my bills! But not in this case. I was planning on using this spa for future services, but they have done pissed me off. OK. I am finished and ready to move onto the rest of this beautiful day.

Speaking of beautiful things. I had my 32 week (8 months) prenatal appointment yesterday. Baby girl is SO big compared to what she was only a few short months ago.

• My tummy is measuring 32 cm. Since I am 32 weeks, that is just perfect (or so my midwife says ;-)).
• My blood pressure was 108/60
• Baby's heart rate was 144 bpm
• I have gained 24 lbs so far. My midwife said I should gain 1/2 a lb. a week till the end so 4-5 more lbs. seems to be right on from where I started. It is startling to see 'that' number on the scale, but hearing I am on target and not gaining too much is comforting.
  

I think the baby's heart rate is a little high compared to what it has been in the past. Maybe b/c she is getting bigger her heart rate gets higher? Not sure, I didn't see Meg (my usual midwife) because she had another appointment. I also wanted to meet the other mid wives just in case Meg wouldn't be able to deliver baby girl. So, I will catch up with Meg at my next appointment too see where baby girl is and if the reading on Friday was just a fluke.

From what I have been reading baby girl is weighing in at a whopping 4 lbs. right now! Katie, the midwife I saw on Friday, said baby girl is head down and her hiney is facing out. So she is in the perfect labor position. If she stays there, we should be ready to go. =)

Here are my 32 week pics...(yes I am @ The HUB)

Cloth Diapers

There are so many people that are curious and interested in our pregnancy. I am so happy to answer any questions and tell them how I am feeling, planning, doing, etc. Although, it does get sort of annoying when I tell people we are going to cloth diaper they look at me like I have totally lost my mind. Then they follow up with a comment similar to if not exactly, "Wow, you are more daring than me."

When I hear comments like the one above, it makes me feel like I am doing something totally bizarre or something incorrect. Here are some examples of some "other" options I might suggest ;-) "Wow, that is cool." "I don't know how that works, what do you need to do that?" "I would really like to know more about that." "I never thought about doing that, what made you want to?" In their defense, cloth diaper has come a LONG way from safety pins, rubber pants, and toilet dunking. Some people may not know about all the advances they have made in the world of cloth diapering.

First, I guess it would only be fair to divulge some information about why we decided to do cloth diapers.

• My mom did it, why wouldn't I do the same?
• Cost savings- If you figure that the average newborn goes through 8-12 diapers a day, 6-8 diapers a day for an older baby, that can really add up; at the cost of about $0.29 per disposable diaper. In 6 months disposable diapers can cost up to $650!
  
• Better for baby-cloth diapers do not have irritating chemicals in them to "wick" away wetness. Less chemicals = less diaper rash.
• Less time in diapers-when babies/toddlers can actually feel they are wet in cloth diapers, they will know what it feels like when they have an "accident" and will progress to potty training faster.

You can also read more about the "Reasons to Cloth Diaper" in THIS link.

Some the "advances" that will be helpful and make the process easier are:

1. There are 2 types of cloth diapers out there. Pocket diapers and prefold diapers.

Pocket diapers look like this:

Pre-fold diapers look like this:

The covers for pre-fold diapers look like this:

If you go with the pocket diaper, the insert goes into the "pocket" that is sewn into the cover. So they are an "all in 1" kind of diaper. We went with the pre-fold diaper b/c we didn't want to mess with pulling a soiled diaper out of a pocket and then having 2 cloth things to launder. With the prefold you can rinse out the cover and hang dry it (as long as no poopies get loose) ;-) I have heard the pocket option is the way to go for sleeping. The other thing to keep in mind, with pre-fold diapers you will need to buy different sizes. With some pocket diapers they are adjustable and go from newborn to 'big' baby all in 1 diaper. So there are advantages/disadvantages to both.

2. Wet bags are the way to go! No need for a diaper genie (less waste and less expensive there too). All you need is 1 large wet bag (that is washable) that will fit into a garbage pail with a lid. Here is a look at what we are going with:

Here is a picture of what we are going to give to the day care/babysitter (1st) larger and holds dry and wet diapers; and what we are going to put in the diaper bag (2nd) smaller and wet only diapers:

3. Sprayer to rise the poopies off into the toilet. It attaches to the water source on the toilet. (BTW, I heard this could be really good for post labor).

4. Lastly, I heard you don't have to have these, but they would seem to help secure the prefold diaper better, especially if you have a wiggly active baby. Snappies:

Here is a video I found REALLY helpful for folding and securing a prefold diaper:

So that is all the information I currently have on cloth diapers. There are tons of other resources out there too. I am sure I will have more info when we actually get to diapering baby Sweet. ;-)

To finish, I don't think it is bad if you use disposable diapers. It is just not for us. I really hope this blog stops some of the crazy looks I have gotten. Maybe it will give insight into the fact cloth diapers are better for baby Sweet, better for the environment, less expensive, and really not all that much more time consuming.

Thanks for reading and leave a comment if you have any questions.

Heather

30 week preggo pics

The slowly disappearing belly button...

The bump is out there fo sho!!!

Less than 12 weeks to go...

I was 28 weeks last (FRIDAY 10/15/10) 7 months. WOW. It really has gone by fast. I didn’t think it would go fast, but it has…

Since the first 4-6 weeks were “funny” I guess it stands to reason. What I mean by “funny” is, women are not pregnant for 9 months, as we have come to believe. We are actually preggers for 10 months. 40 weeks = 10 months. The doc starts counting your weeks on the first day of your last period. So you are “pregnant” the week of your last period, the week you are ovulating after your period, and the 2 weeks after that (fertilization and implantation). Once you miss your period (another week) and go to the doc then the ~ 9 months start.

When I went to my 6-week appointment, I thought it would be forever before I started my 3rd trimester. I also could not imagine what my tummy would look like. Well, that day has come. I have officially started my 3rd trimester last Friday and my tummy is to the point I can’t imagine what it was like when it was flat. Putting on socks is a rather comical event around the Sweet house lately.

Some stats from Friday’s appointment:

• Blood pressure: 122/64 (top # is a little high b/c I was not feeling well)
• Baby HR: 135
• Tummy measurement: 28.5 cm (2 cm larger in 2 weeks)

Things are progressing really well. Andy and I just put together our birth plan and gave it to our mid-wife for suggestions. It was really easy. I just “Googled” birth plan templates and voilà!

I am starting to really feel pregnant. Things are really “happening.”

• I have officially “popped.” As many people have so sweetly pointed out, in case I haven’t noticed. BTW - Thanks. :-/
  
• Every time I look in the mirror I am still surprised to see how big my belly has gotten. It is sorta an out of body experience, even though I am IN my body- so strange.
• My emotions have started becoming more “prenatal.” I cry at a drop of a hat. I have unexplainable feelings of abandonment. I worry I won’t have enough time to be a mother, a wife, an athlete, a friend, an employee, or even sane. Come to find out…back fat is a REAL effing thing. Boo.

Andy has been great. I think the fact I have not gone postal is his amazing patience and understanding. Sometimes he doesn’t even have to say anything. A hug is sometimes the BEST medicine =)

My mother-in-law mentioned something really good the other day too. Since we are athletes, she said it is very similar to when you are training for a big race. The training in the first couple months is relatively easy. You can get the workouts in and you can accomplish the small goals you have initially set out. When you have only a couple months left before the big day you start doubting yourself. Can I do this? Do I have everything planned? Did I train enough? Why do I feel like crap? Am I going to disappoint myself? Am I going to disappoint everyone that helped me get here? If I can’t do “insert name of race here” now, how am I going to do this in a few short months? Then with just a couple of weeks before your race (starting your taper) you start to visualize reaching your goals. Things become much more manageable.

I think pregnancy is very similar. There is no way I am ready to be a Mommy tomorrow. That is why I still have 11 weeks until she is supposed to be here. Now if something happens and she comes crazy early, I know I could adapt, but let’s pretend that all will go according to plan, K? This is just like when I started wigging out 2 months before my first marathon. I thought I would NEVER be able to run 26.2 miles! Well the week before and week of, I had this strange sense of calm and confidence. I am looking forward to the calm, I am sure Andy is too =)

To any Mommies out there, if you have had or are currently having similar emotions, please leave a comment. Sometimes it feels better when I know I am not the only one going through it. Thanks for reading.

Take care,
Heather

PS- 29 week photo will be posted soon...I promise. =)

Preggo favorite things

I did a blog a while ago listing out my favorite things. Most of them still ring true, but I have added some things specifically designated for preggo times.

1. Patagonia Underwear: these are the bomb diggity! All I gotta say is spend the $20 on a pair and try them. Even if you are not preggers, you will fall in LOVE. You can find them cheaper on Amazon.com but HERE is a link to Patagonia's web-site.

2. Tank tops. The ones with the shelf bra are super nice. They cover the ever growing tummy and are not so restrictive. Lately I feel like I am putting a straight jacket on every time I get dressed. Old Navy seems to be the most comfy right now.

3. If I could wear yoga pants every day of my life I would.

4. With the season changing I have traded in my Chacos for Danskos. Fun designs and SUPER comfy.

*Now that I can smell EVERYTHING I am pretty particular about what "smells" calm me. "And no honey I am not interested in pulling your finger tonight."

5. ZUM soy candle. I really like the frankincense and myrrh scent. This candle lasts forever!

6. Suave shampoo/conditioner. The rosemary/mint scent is wicked awesome.

7. J.R. Watkins lotion is my new fav for lotion right now...since I am applying it every where and all the time, I feel like I have found my new best friend. I don't have a particular scent I like yet, but the mango is pretty nice. FYI: I found it buy 1, get 1 free @ Walgreens.

8. Since I need to be drinking my weight in water and I do NOT want to add calories to my water by adding those "flavor" enhancers, I have turned to LaCroix. Yummy flavors and the "sparkling" aspect has helped with my mild indigestion. Burping feels SO good! I found a wicked awesome deal at BiLo this week.

9. This is more for baby girl when she gets here than for me right now, but I am super excited to pop this CD in for her when she arrives: Rockaby Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith. They also have U2 and Led Zeppelin!

Here are some cool ideas I have found for baby wipes and diaper rash:
*Disclaimer: I have not tried the below suggestions yet, but I will.
I found these 3 ideas on www.Make-your-own-baby-stuff.com

Make your own baby wipes:

2 cups water

1 tbsp of baby wash

1 tbsp of baby oil (tea tree oil can work)

Squirt/spray bottle

Flannel wipes

Recipe for Diaper Rash Ointment:

• 1/2 cup sweet almond oil (you can also use olive oil)
• 2-3 drops lavender oil
• 2-3 drops tea tree oil
• 4 Tablespoons water

Mix all the ingredients together well. Transfer to a jar or bottle to use for applying to baby to ease a red bottom or diaper rash. Be very careful not to double dip!

Calendula Ointment Recipe:

This recipe is a little more involved than the recipe above. It may take a little more effort to make but it will make a fantastic diaper rash ointments. The ingredients are 1/2 cup dried calendula, 8 oz. vegetable shortening, and 1-tablespoon beeswax. Melt the shortening and beeswax in a small pan and then add the calendula petals to the hot mixture. Let them steep in the mixture while it cools down. Transfer the ointment into a small jar.