I am somewhere around 37 & 38 weeks along. The later due date is based on an ultrasound at around 9 weeks. The earlier due date is based on my LMP & an ultrasound done at 18 weeks along. My midwives are going off of the later date because apparently babies develop at the same rate early in pregnancy while later on, development & growth varies much more among babies. So, the measurements of the early ultrasound are more accurate when determining a due date than using the measurements from the later ultrasound. If you ask me though, I still think the earlier due date is more accurate. Time will tell. Esperanza was born 40 weeks to the day according to when I knew she was conceived...not based on anyones predicted due date. I also didn't have ultrasounds with her so there wasn't a machine predicted due date to argue with.Esperanza's last day of nursing was 5/11/11. Nursing for nap time was the last nursing 'session' we consistenly had. It was the only way Esperanza would take a nap, and worth every suckle. Then, on that final day, she didn't fall asleep after nursing, so I said 'we're done', we got up, and that was that. I had no intentions of tandem nursing, so it was something that needed to happen soon, and did at exactly the right time. She still has an obsession with my boobs, but it's not as big a deal as I had anticipated. She will not however nap at all & our sleeping schedule is completely out of whack without a nap. I still attempt to put her down for naps, but it's usually a kicking & screaming match that ends with me giving up and getting up. I do still have a positive attitude that she will get back into a nap routine at sometime soon. I really miss napping myself.
Blue gets the hiccups at least once a day. It took me awhile to figure out that it was hiccups. Esperanza never got them while she was in my belly, so there was no familiarity with it. Another one of those strange and amazing things about having a human inside of you...hiccuping.As of about a month ago, baby has been head down and kicking my ribs instead of my bladder. He's been in basically the same position now for several weeks. He's very active, yet has very little room left to move. I think my belly has stretched to it's fullest! His little body parts poke out of my belly at times and it's just the most surreal feeling and expereince. When his hand or foot moves quickly across the right side of my belly, it tickles and kinda feels like a little ball rolling around in there. I'll push back a little at a foot or a hand sometimes, expecting him to do it again, but he doesn't seem to want to play that game and he'll just withdrawl and be still. With Esperanza, she would kick back and play with me, sometimes a little rougher than expected. Different personalities even in the womb.
Regina came to my house for my first home prenatal visit a couple of weeks ago. Prenatals are ever two weeks now. She confirmed all is well. When the midwives get ready to use their little device (I don't know what it's called) to listen to the hearbeat, Esperanza gets interested. She calls the gooey stuff they put on my belly soap, and her anticipation of the entire visit centers around that 'soap' and not necessarily hearing the heart beat. Tomorrow I have a home visit with Catherine & I expect it'll be quick and sweet with another confirmation that baby & mama are both healthy. She'll be bringing my birth kit with her, as I forgot to get it from the office the last time I was there...and to be honest, I'm hoping I'll have a baby rather than an appointment in two weeks.
The State finally agreed to accept my midwife under the health plan I'm under and pay her for her services. They said the exception was only situational & made primarily because of my 'advanced gestation' and them not wanting to cause stress by switching my providers. They never did suggest or give advice on who they would have preferred be my home birth midwife based on who is in their network. It took me roughly 7 months (but 6 weeks of full time intense, daily calls/emails/messages/appointments) to get my situation looked at by the right person. I now have a name and direct phone number for the person who makes these decisions and exceptions. For a state that is actually more advanced than the majority of the country in recognizing home birth as a safe birthing option, Washington State sure does have a ways to go still in figuring out how women will access the health care benefits that are offered. I had hoped to get more specific answers and information to share with other women in the same situation, but have decided to drop the research for now and focus on myself, my family and the upcoming birth. For those that are interested, I'll do a follow-up blog post at some point in the near future so share more specific info I do have and hope to obtain.
I know I've said it wouldn't happen, but don't be suprised if the name Blue (in some form or language) shows up somewhere on the birth certificate. We have a name picked out, but we'll probably wait to announce it until baby is born. I'm a little indecisive anyways, with a couple other options lingering around. I won't make up my mind for sure until I meet him. And, you never know, he could be a she.
I weigh about 155 pounds. I was 113 before I got pregnant. Hopefully I can keep on a few of those extra pounds this time.
I can't sleep! Haven't been able to for some time now but it just keeps getting worse and worse. Would love to blame it on Esperanza as I have for so long, but now it's really just me, my big belly and hormones that keep me from getting any Zzz's. Skullcap to the rescue! Catherine should be bringing me some tomorrow.
Occassionally I have some aches and pains in my pelvic area as well as my back. When I remember, or when it's expecially bothersome, I'll add some calcium/magnesium powder to a glass of water. It works! For the most part though, I feel wonderful and healthier than ever.
Though I am in full 'nesting' mode with organizing & cleaning, I've got the basics and am ready for the baby to arrive, which is when what I consider the real 'nesting' phase begins.
The pantry and freezer are stocked with snacks and some home cooked prepared meals, some store bought frozen meals/snacks, and various canned soups and beans. Every day this week when I've cooked, I've put part of it in the freezer to have for after baby is born. I don't plan on leaving the house or cooking any time soon after birth. I've made more lists than necessary outlining meal & snack ideas for Esperanza as well as myself. Food is clearly a necessity, but for me it's also a little bit of an obsession. Both Esperanza and I are gradually going dairy free also which makes meal planning a little different. I'll eliminate it completely when I have the baby and Esperanza just needs to have her dairy intake balanced and reduced, but not completely. I've spent more time worrying about that change in our lives than I have about labor & birth. Oh how I will miss butter & yogurt.
I think Esperanza knows something earth shattering is about to happen. Her world is about to be flipped upside down, and she senses it. Her attitude and personality has shifted dramatically in a very challenging direction. Part of me thinks it's because she's approaching 3, an age where half of all parents I know say young children are most difficult (the other half say it's 2). But then I realize that she's pretty smart and just knows that her days of being an only child, and the baby are numbered. Though I sure hope I am wrong, I don't see her welcoming this new baby with warm, open arms at first. With that being said, I do still believe there is a lot of love Esperanza has for her brother already. She has claimed him as her own, stating several times to various people while wrapping her body around my belly that 'this is MY baby'. Sometimes she'll ask him to come out, then other times she'll say he's not ready to come out, that 'he's still cookin'.
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