Birth Story

Here is Alisa's birth story (Warning: it includes just about all the gory details).....

I was scheduled to be induced at 6:00pm on Friday 4/06/07 because baby Alisa was a week overdue. They were going to insert Cervidil to ripen my cervix overnight and start me on Pitocin Saturday morning if my contractions weren't good and strong. I went to bed at 11pm on Thursday 4/05/07 but Craig wasn't tired so he stayed up. I randomly woke up and noticed Craig wasn't in bed yet. I looked at the clock and it was 12:50am. 10 minutes later Craig came to bed and put his arm around my belly.

Even though the chances of my water breaking at the beginning of labor were only 15% I still couldn't stop anticipating it all the time. I meant to put something on the bed to protect the mattress, but never got around to it. Anyway, I thought I felt something (a tickle in my pants) so I was wondering about that when Craig said he felt a contraction. I hadn't noticed it so assumed it was another Braxton Hicks contraction. Then a few seconds later I felt my water break (a warm trickle in my pants)! I jumped out of bed so it wouldn't get wet and excitedly told Craig that my water broke and that amniotic fluid was running down my leg making a puddle on the floor. He got me a towel and I rushed upstairs to the 3rd floor to the only working bathroom at the time. We told my mom what happened (she had arrived on my due date for a 2 week visit) and I called the hospital to make sure it was okay for me to shower before going there. It was so I did that and we finished packing (toiletries and other last minute things).

I leaked amniotic fluid all the way to the hospital but was prepared with a maxi pad and a towel (wow, I haven't heard the term "maxi pad" in years...I just call them pads). I went to the triage room first (the time was 2:30am) where they had me pee in a cup and put on a gown. They verified that my water did indeed break, said I was dilated to a 1 or 1 1/2, checked my info (I had pre-registered) and asked a few questions about contractions, etc. I was moved to Labor/Delivery Room 219 shortly after.

They put me on Pitocin right away and the nurse had trouble getting the IV in my left hand. She failed twice (ouch for me!) and had another nurse come in and try. The other nurse got it on the first try on my right hand. The nurses took my blood pressure and increased the Pitocin a tiny bit every half hour. They had to keep changing the towels and "chucks" pads on the bed because I leaked amniotic fluid and blood consistently till at least 11:00am. I had to hold a towel at my crotch whenever I got up to go to the bathroom so that I didn't leave a trail. It was gross! I had a monitor strapped to my lower belly to monitor the baby's heartrate and one strapped to my upper belly to monitor my contractions. The baby monitor slipped off from time to time because it had that slimy ultrasound gel under it. Also, I had to unplug the monitors and drape the cords behind my neck and wheel the IV bag holder into the bathroom with me. It was quite the production. The monitors fell off a lot making things even more difficult.

Beginning of labor (you can see the cotton on my left hand that was soaking up the blood from the failed IV installation attemps):



Beginning of labor:



I slept as much as I could, waking just barely every time a nurse or the doctor came in to check on me. There was a shift change at 8:00am so a new nurse started checking on me. She brought me breakfast by 8:30am because I was starving and my labor wasn't hard yet. I had bacon (which I had avoided during my pregnancy because I was supposed to), a biscuit and lots of apple juice. Craig ate the eggs and I didn't eat the grits. My doctor (David Dixon) was on call Friday and Saturday and he arrived to check on me at 10:10am. A student doctor (Steve) was with him each time he checked on me. He said I was dilated to almost a 2 and 60% effaced with Alisa's head at station -2. Sooooo, about 8 hours on Pitocin and only dilated to a 2--ugh!

The nurse let me eat lunch at 12:10pm because, again, I was starving and my labor wasn't hard yet. I had breaded fish, green beans, seasoned potatoes and a lemon bar and it was all delicious. I had a couple of good bowel movements during the day for which I was thankful since I heard that whatever is in your intestines comes out when you are pushing your baby out (ew!). Dr Dixon checked on me at 3:15pm and said I was dilated to a 4 and that Alisa was face up (uh oh!). I had been on 16 milliunits of Pitocin since 9:00am...that was the highest they needed to go with me. The nurses and doctor periodically asked me to rate my pain on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being unbearable. By 4:00pm I rated it at about a 6. With each contraction I felt like I really needed to go have a bowel movement. I didn't actually need to though so it was disturbing and painful.

I decided to ask for an epidural a bit later and at 4:40pm the nurse started putting the required fluids in me via the IV. The fluids felt cold to me as I felt them coursing through the veins in my right arm. I soon started shivering and shaking from the cold fluids rushing through me. And yet, I wasn't cold enough to need a blanket...or rather, a blanket wouldn't help because I was cold on the inside, not outside. Pretty weird. The anesthesiologist arrived at 5:30pm and did his thing. I already knew about the procedure so I didn't bother looking at the long needle that was about to be put into my back. I sat on the side of the bed hugging a pillow and leaning against Craig who was standing by the bed facing me. My body was still shaking from the cold IV fluids I had received so that was annoying. Other than those shakes, it wasn't too hard to hold still, even with the regular contractions. I was uncomfortable after a bit in that position but only because I became hot from my own hot breath being in my face since I was so close to the pillow with my head down. During the procedure I only felt the little "bee sting" of pain from the numbing needle. I couldn't really feel the big needle much and it certainly didn't hurt because I was numb back there then. As I sat there I felt a lot more fluids leaking from me so I told the nurse she'd need to change the towels before I layed down again. When she looked at them she said there was a little meconium (baby's first bowel movement) in the fluids so she would notify the doctor.

After the anesthesiologist taped the epidural catheter to my back really well, he had me lie down flat for at least half and hour so the medication would distribute evenly. I felt warm and happy almost immediately after lying down. Gradually, my right thigh became numb. I could still move my legs but no longer felt any pain from the contractions. Sweet! Later on both my legs became numb and I couldn't move them at all. Then, hours after that I could move them again....didn't realize the numbness would change like that.

The nurse put a catheter in me to empty my bladder as necessary. That was kinda strange. I could kinda feel it going in my uretha but it didn't hurt at all. Also she removed the external contraction monitor from my upper belly and the doctor put an internal one in me (it's more accurate). It stayed in place because it was taped to my inner thigh. So, I had more wires coming out of me. It actually wasn't too bad since I was just lying in bed at that point. It was really nice not to have to get up and go to the bathroom anymore with all the wires hanging from me.

There was another nurse shift change and at 6:30pm I was dilated to a 5, 80% effaced and Alisa's head was at station 0. From 7:00 to 9:00pm the nurse periodically put me in different positions in an effort to get Alisa to turn face down for an easier delivery. I laughed at that process because at that time my legs were so numb that I couldn't move them. It was crazy...hard to describe how funky they felt when I put my hand on them.

At 9:00pm the nurse checked my cervix and said I was dilated to a 7 and thinned out a little more. Dr Dixon came in minutes later to check on me and after hearing my cervix was at a 7 he excitedly said, "Oh, let me check! Do you mind?" I was pleased that he was so happy and I didn't mind the confirmation of the good news.

At 9:45pm I threw up several times (just liquids). Of course they had a basin handy for that and when they took it away to clean it they gave me a barf bag just in case. There was another nurse shift change at 11:00pm which was a bit sad because I really like the nurse that had to leave and she really wanted to see the birth. The next nurse was great too, so it worked out fine for me. At 11:15pm I had what they called a "hot spot" of pain on the left side of my belly. They called the anesthesiologist back and he gave me a booster via the IV. Also, the nurse gave me something via the IV to help with my nausea. I shivered and shook again for a bit and leaked more amniotic fluids.

At 12:00am the nurse checked and said my cervix was dilated to a 9 1/2, almost completely effaced with Alisa's head at station +1! At 1:00am both my legs were totally numb from the booster I had been given. Dr Dixon had me try a few test pushes to see how I'd do. It was tricky since my legs were totally numb so I thought it was a shame that the extreme numbness happened so close to the end and not before. He said he'd come back in a bit.

At 1:45am my cervix was completely dilated and it was time to push. Thankfully, my legs were no longer numb. I had them up on the leg rests (they weren't the normal stirrups so I'll call them leg rests) and Dr Dixon told me to also lift up my pelvis with each push, which really helped. I asked them to set up the mirror so I could watch the birth. It was fascinating and I'm so glad I got to watch it like that. I was able to see how effective my pushes were. It didn't disturb me to see all that stretching and some blood trickling and stuff. I couldn't tell if I was tearing. I did see that my intestines were emptying out a little bit but the doctor quickly put a rag or something to cover that area to keep that junk separate. I pushed 3 times at 10 seconds each with each contraction and had a short rest in between. After pushing for an hour and 20 minutes Alisa's head was out. She was face up and they suctioned her out really well since there was meconium in my fluids. Pushing out the rest of her body was the greatest feeling. She slid out so quickly I thought of a kid rushing down a waterslide. I layed my head back in relief. The NICU nurses took Alisa right after Craig cut her umbilical cord so they could suction her mouth out more to be sure she didn't breathe in any meconium. Alisa was good and didn't cry until after they were finished. In fact, they had to try hard to get her to cry so they could hear that her lungs sounded clear.

Craig and my mom were taking pictures of Alisa being cleaned off and measured, etc while I was pushing out the placenta. The placenta was easy to deliver and felt really nice coming out (again, like a kid on a waterslide). The nurse showed me it as she examined it in a bucket because I told her I wanted to see it. The side that was attached to the uterine wall was very different from the other side. Dr Dixon began stitching up my minor tear and I felt needle pricks so I said, "Ow! I can feel that!" He frowned and had the nurse hand him some numbing agent and I felt a sting when he gave it to me. A minute later I felt more pricks in a different area and again told him I could feel it. But I said he could just continue if he was almost done because it didn't hurt too bad. After I was all stitched up and the mess was cleared away I sat up in bed and Craig brought Alisa to me to hold for the first time. My mom took pictures and we all just watched Alisa for awhile in amazement. Alisa was born at 3:06am on Saturday, April 7th. She weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 21 inches long.

40 minutes after Alisa was born we were alone in the room as a family (doctors, nurse and NICU nurses had gone). 10 minutes later the nurse brought me a turkey sandwich and apple juice which I promptly ate and drank because I was starving. She put towels, washcloths and a bowl of warm soapy water in the bathroom for me to clean up with. She also gave me a squeezy water bottle and some liquid cleanser and told me to squirt my crotch with the bottle full of water and a little bit of the cleanser every time I go to the bathroom and just pat it dry with toilet paper instead of wiping (so I wouldn't mess up the stitches or hurt my sore crotch). After cleaning up and hobbling to a wheelchair I felt nauseated and threw up. The nurse said that's common and luckily I was able to ask Craig for the barf bucket before it happened. Craig packed up our things and the nurse took us to Recovery Room 332. We stopped on the way to push what they call the Lullaby button in the hallway which plays a song to announce the birth of another baby.

I got into bed in my new room and the nurse helped me get Alisa latched onto my breast for her first feeding. She suckled for 20 minutes with a few adjustments necessary to get her to latch back on properly. A new team of nurses started checking up on me since I was on another floor. They checked my vital signs (blood pressure, temperature and oxygen level in blood) every 4 hours the first day of recovery and then every 8 hours on the second day. The pediatrician and her assistant checked on Alisa several times. They said Alisa is blood type B- (I'm O+) so they watched for yellowing of the skin to indicate a problem (apparently my blood could have gone to her when cutting the umbilical cord). They tested Alisa's blood for infection because Alisa was born more than 18 hours after my water broke. Her white blood cell count was high and she was born with a temperature of 101 so they gave her a few rounds of antibiotics through and IV in her hand. Something happened to the first IV after awhile so they had to put it in her other hand later. We didn't see the process or know about it ahead of time but it was sad to think she had to go through that. They also did a blood culture to see if anything grew in her blood after 48 hours (nothing did, thank God).

Dr Dixon (and the student doctor) checked in on me a few times during my recovery days. He checked my belly and asked how I was. The nurse gave me pain pills (Percocet and Motrin) 3 times because my crotch was so sore and swollen and a stool softener 2 times to help with my first bowel movement. It hurt so much to get up out of bed and walk after sitting for long periods. It was a funny scene to see me try to get out of bed to go to the bathroom while in the hospital. It took me forever to get up the courage and strength to inch to the edge of the bed and then push myself up. Then the first few steps were pathetically slow and awkward. I felt much better by the 2nd day and didn't have to change my pad so much by then because the lochia (blood) was lightening up. I thought the recovery was worse than the labor since it lasted longer and was icky and painful.

The nurses checked in on me every once in awhile and brought me all the juice, ice, water and graham crackers I wanted. Breakfast was brought to me at 8:30am, lunch at 12:30pm and dinner at 5:30pm. I got to choose what I wanted for each meal from a list, except Easter dinner on Sunday (which was a special meal with no options). I thought all the food was really good and was shocked that I even liked the cooked cabbage they served since I don't normally like it (but tried it just for the heck of it). I ate food such as chicken fingers, swedish meatballs, salsbury steak, ham, fries, chips, mashed potatoes, cooked cabbage, mandarin oranges, cinnamon peaches and chocolate ice cream.

A couple of lactation consultants checked in on me a few times to see if I needed any help breastfeeding. I did because Alisa kept falling asleep while nursing. They gave me helpful tips and handouts and told me about their weekly support groups. One of them showed me how to use a breastpump and gave me the parts I'd need if I wanted to rent one from the hospital or their store.

We left the hospital at noon on Monday. A nurse pushed me out in a wheelchair because walking was slow going for me still. We had been given a diaper bag with formula samples, etc as well as souvenirs such as our armbands, the basin and hair brush they used for Alisa's first sponge bath, the shirt and hat Alisa had been wearing and so on.

The whole labor process wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I know it's because I got an epidural...however, I'd always heard that Pitocin makes your contractions many times worse and they just weren't too bad for me. Even though it was a 26 hour ordeal, it went by quickly in my mind. I was excited that labor started with my water breaking because I knew we had to go to the hospital to have the baby that day...but it turned out to be pretty yucky since I leaked fluids all day and night. I had no idea I would leak for so long. I didn't read any books or watch any movies to pass the time during early labor since I was trying to get as much sleep as possible. My first bowel movement happened the day after I left the hospital (3 days after the birth) and it didn't hurt at all like I'd been told it would. Whew. My milk started to transition from colostrum on the 4th day after the birth. Alisa's last meconium-filled diaper was on day 6 of her life (little late, but things worked out).

Holding Alisa for the first time:



Happy and tired parents with newborn Alisa:



Alisa with her mom and grandmom:



The delivery crew (Dr Dixon, student doctor Steve and nurse Becky):



Flowers and presents from my mom:



Our friend Karen and her husband visited us in the hospital:



Some random nurse who wheeled me out to the car to go home:



My belly a week after the birth:

More Pregnancy Stuff

"Up to 1 percent of pregnant women develop a condition characterized by itchy, red bumps and larger patches of a hive-like rash on their bellies. This is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) or polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. PUPPP usually begins in the third trimester and is more common among women carrying twins and those having their first baby. The eruptions usually show up first on the abdomen around or in stretch marks (if you have any) and may spread to your thighs, buttocks, and arms. PUPPP is harmless for you and your baby, but it can itch like crazy!" Well, lucky me is in that tiny 1% as I now have the rash (started week 35). It has stayed just on my lower belly (where I can't even see it without a mirror) for now though, thank God, and it doesn't itch all the time (but when it does itch, it ITCHES!). My feet started itching a lot (especially on the sides of my heels) during week 37 but I don't see any red bumps or anything.

During week 35 they did a vaginal and anal swab test to check for Strep B. Someone (either at the doctor's office or the lab) lost the sample so they had to repeat it the next week. It was really no big deal (no discomfort during the quick sample collecting) and the test results turned out to be normal. I mentioned that I had been having a little watery discharge with an odor each morning like clockwork for a few days and the doctor took a sample to make sure it wasn't amniotic fluid. He said it wasn't, but was some kind of bacterial infection. I had to take a pill twice a day for 7 days and then it was gone. No big deal. He also gave me a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine because of my persistent back pain. Those pills didn't help and they made me vomit both days I took them so that was awful.

As I mentioned before, I've been going to the chiropractor since week 34 to get some relief from my persistent back pain. The pain comes at some point every day (usually in the evenings) and thankfully it's only been REALLY intense a handful of times. Still, it hurts a lot and makes it so hard to sit and relax in the evenings like I'm supposed to (because it's worse when I sit). I have seen improvements over time as I have actually gone on a few 10 minute drives recently with NO PAIN! I pray that it goes away completely right after the birth because if it doesn't then breastfeeding will be harder.

Baby Alisa dropped down at the beginning of week 36. I noticed because I could breathe much easier. Sweet relief! I still get winded easily, but I at least I can take deeper breaths now. I've had a stinging pain in one spot on the top of my belly just to the right of the center since about week 35. When I first mentioned it to the doctor he asked some questions and then said since it was a surface-level pain it must just be related to my growing belly. But at my next weekly appointment when I mentioned that I still had the pain and showed him that I also had the PUPPP rash he said sometimes the two together can indicate a problem with the gallbladder. So, he ordered a blood test and ultrasound on my gallbladder and pancreas. The blood test was normal and the ultrasound confirmed that nothing was wrong with my organs. Actually, my spleen, which is on the left side, is a little enlarged. He said it will probably return to it's normal size after the baby is born but I will have an ultrasound about 6 weeks later to be sure. Anyway, the doctor said once again the pain must be on the muscular level and caused by my heavy and growing belly. It's good to hear that nothing's wrong with my organs but I just pray that the pain leaves when my belly is emptied out during the birth.

My hands have been swollen for months but I kept my wedding ring on because, hey, it's my wedding ring. Well, I eventually took it off one day while I could when my hands were surprisingly less swollen. I haven't been able to put it back on since because my fingers are just too fat right now. They are stiff and hurt and fall asleep every night and morning even though I don't ever lay on them. It's pretty annoying and makes it harder for me to push myself up to a sitting position with my hand. I noticed that my watch has been tight for quite awhile, which means even my wrists are fatter now (they've always been so skinny and they still look skinny but they are definitely bigger than before). My ankle swelling varies each day depending on how much I walked or stood. Mostly just my left ankle is swollen by the evening and I find it odd that it's just that one.

I've been sleeping pretty well most nights, just waking up briefly to roll over several times. I only have to go to the bathroom once during the night--if that--and from what I hear from others I'm pretty lucky (and this just started recently, always between 3:30am and 5:00am). My voice has been cracking a lot for more than a month (can't remember when it started). It's really crazy sounding at times and I often have to clear my throat just to be able to speak. Craig thinks it's cute but I think it's annoying because it makes it hard to talk to people. Many people ask me if I'm okay because I sound sick. No strangers have touched my belly, but they sure have opinions on it. Lately the people I've come into contact with have been saying they think I'm having a boy because I'm carrying the baby way out in front. Some say I'm tiny, but most say I look like I won't make it to my due date.

Baby Alisa is due in 12 days so this just might be my last pregnancy update! I will be glad to no longer be pregnant. It's been hard, though the end reward makes it worth it, I'm sure. Alisa moves around a lot every time I eat (which is still every few hours) and when I lie down at night. Sometimes I can feel her whole back pressing out against my belly all at once. She has the hiccups a lot, which I've read is common. It's strange to feel her movements from hiccuping deep down inside my belly, verses when I feel them at the surface (depending on her position). Her head has been down since at least week 35, so she's getting ready for the birth. You can believe I will post many pictures of her after she's born!!

Here's a picture taken on 11-19-06 of one of the first maternity tops I bought:



Here's my favorite "nice" maternity outfit:



This t-shirt has been one of my favorite shirts for many years because it's so comfy and loose (it's not a maternity shirt and I'm surprised I can wear it now because I certainly can't wear any of my other regular t-shirts). Also, I had just gotten my hair cut before this picture was taken (the picture doesn't do it justice):



Here are today's belly pics (38 weeks and 4 days pregnant):





And my lovely rash and stretchmarks (I love how round my belly is):

Childbirth Education Class - Part 2

We've completed the class and I have about 5 weeks to review the excellent handouts and my notes in order to digest the info and practice relaxation techniques and breathing patterns before it's show time.

During the 3rd class, the teacher talked about the 2nd and 3rd stages of labor. The 2nd stage is pushing, so she showed us many good pushing positions and explained how it all works and how you are supposed to breathe then. She informed us that the groaning/grunting sounds a woman may make during the pushing actually helps by relaxing her bottom area, which makes it easier for the baby to move down and then out. I found that very interesting. The 3rd stage is delivery of the placenta. We watched a birth on video and it actually showed the 3rd stage too and I was shocked at how large the placenta was. I recently learned that the doctor puts it in a bucket thing and examines it to make sure it's all there...oh my, what a job!

During the 4th class, we went on a tour of the Women's Pavilion. It's a facility separate from--but attached to--the hospital where all the labor/delivery/recovery takes place (even with c-sections). It is a fairly new place so everything is so nice there. My teacher's boss is in the class with his wife and she wanted to get him back for all the teasing he dishes out to her at work. She brought her digital camera and had one of the guys secretly take pictures of her boss throughout the tour. She wanted to get him in as many different positions as possible (standing alone, standing close to his wife, his profile, him picking his nose or yawning, etc). Only the few of us that made it to class a few minutes early were in on the joke so it added a great element to the tour. When she was showing us a labor/delivery room she called him forward to help her demonstrate the good birthing positions. She even had him put a hospital gown on. Now this guy is a big and tall guy and watching him lie in the birthing bed or squat while leaning against the bed was hilarious (especially because we knew she was doing all that to get back at him).

I was pleased to hear and see that there is a jacuzzi tub in each labor/delivery room so I can labor in the water. I hear that it helps a lot. I was also pleased to hear that they encourage rooming in of the baby after she's born so they don't have a baby nursery. The security there is really good and the baby never has to leave our sight once she's born if that's what we want. If they need to check on her at the nurse's station or somewhere other than our room, Craig can go with her. Each room has a mirror that can be set up so the women can see their baby being born if they'd like. Sometimes it helps for a woman to see her baby's head via the mirror move closer to the exit when she's pushing (like if she's had an epidural and can't feel what's going on and has trouble knowing how to push). The rooms have wireless internet and a TV with DVD player--sweet!

During the 5th and final class, the teacher talked about unexpected outcomes, postpartum care, and feeding the baby, etc. After class started, the couple with the earliest due date arrived with their newborn. She was induced the day after the hospital tour (a week after her due date) and after much laboring ended up having a c-section. We were shocked to see her out and about running errands 5 days after having a c-section...she was doing so well. Seeing her newborn and hearing that 2 other couples had their babies that week (both 3 weeks early!) was a reality check for the rest of us. Craig really felt scared upon seeing such a tiny baby and knowing that soon we will have one.

A class reunion will be planned for this summer so we can all reconnect and see each other's babies.

It was nice taking a class that was offered through the doctors' office because the teacher has worked with and knows the doctors well. She answered many questions I had for my doctor so I didn't have to wait until my next appointment to ask him. The class met in the lobby of the doctors' office--which is attached to the other side of the hospital that the Women's Pavilion is on--so it's handy having everything right there.

Another Pregnancy Update

I'm in week 34 of my pregnancy and baby Alisa is about 4.75 lbs and 18 inches long. My belly is quite large but I'm not uncomfortable yet. It just takes me longer to get up from a sitting or lying position. Alisa's movements are very interesting now. Many of them glide across my belly and can be seen by anyone sitting near me. She moves at least every few hours and always right after I eat. Sometimes she won't be moving, but I can feel what I think is her head pressing against my belly creating a hard spot. It is all so fascinating. At first her stronger movements were a bit disturbing because she would keep kicking the same spot over and over again and I just wanted her to stop or at least pick another spot for a change. Her movements haven't disturbed my sleep yet, which Craig found amazing one night as he felt her pounding away in there while I was sleeping with his hand on my belly. I read about babies having the hiccups in the womb and I finally felt the rythmic bumping that indicated that Alisa had them. I've noticed that she's had them 4 times now--one time was really noticeable and lasted like 10 minutes.

The thing I've noticed about my pregnancy is that just about every day is different. If I have a problem one day I shouldn't worry too much because it will probably be gone by the next day. Then something new will pop up. Some days I'm highly emotional, some days I'm not. Some days my back hurt, some days it doesn't. Some nights I don't sleep well, some nights I sleep great. Some nights that uncomfortable feeling in my thighs returns, some nights I don't have it at all. Some days I'm hungry all the time, some days I'm not so hungry and skip snacks between meals. Some days I have heartburn, some days I do not (even when eating the foods that tend to cause it). Some days I'm really tired, some days I'm not.

I had read that you don't shed much hair while you are pregnant but the normal shedding will return afterwards. Well, I didn't notice a change until maybe the 3rd trimester. I realized I suddenly no longer had hair falling out in the shower or when I brushed my hair. Glorious! A new development that has stuck around for awhile is that I sound congested like I have a cold and my voice keeps cracking. I feel fine though and don't have a stuffy nose or anything. I still don't ever have to go to the bathroom when I wake up in the night. Some nights I wake up many times to roll over but at least I fall back asleep quickly now. I blow my nose daily (like I did before I was pregnant because of allergies) and there is usually a bit of blood, which is common. I'm starting to see the hint of stretchmarks on my belly below my belly button--yikes! Course I can only see them if I hold a mirror there since my belly is so big that I can't even see my feet when standing and looking down. My left ankle and both hands were swollen for weeks but finally my ankle is no longer swollen. My hands are still swollen and they fall asleep every night now even when I'm not lying on them at all. I've felt a few Braxton Hicks contractions in the past month (not painful...my belly just feels tight for around 30 seconds to a minute).

The day after I returned home from Christmas in Tulsa (week 28) I had the diabetes blood test. They had me drink a glucose drink that tasted like fruit punch and they drew my blood an hour later. The results were normal--wahoo! I felt fine during the test and had no trouble drinking the drink within the allotted 5 mintues (it wasn't super sweet like I thought it would be). I had a fasting glucose test years ago to check for insulin resistance and I didn't feel so great during that test. The drink was orange and much sweeter than this fruit punch one. I didn't have to drink as much but I had to drink it faster. I felt a bit sick during the hour wait with only that glucose coursing through my veins.

A new development has been back pain near my right shoulder blade and on the right side of my spine in the middle of my back. This started around the beginning of February and was very sporatic and mild. Then, a week ago on Friday night it was very intense. I felt a bit sick and was writhing in agony and crying. I've tried heat pads, ice packs and an electric Shiatsu massager. None of them really help, though they felt nice on the rest of my back. Craig's massages help for a bit but then the pain returns. Standing and walking around helps but if I do that too long, my lower back begins to hurt from the weight of my belly (I may get one of those belly support bands to deal with that).

I went to the chiropractor last week and he told me what was going on with my back. Craig has been going to this guy for months now since he's had back pain for years. I really like the guy and he really seems knowledgeable. He did some simple tests to determine where my problem areas are (I went to a chiropractor for several months after a car accident over 10 years ago and I don't remember him doing anything like that). He had me turn my head as far as I could to the left and then as far as I could to the right (it didn't go as far to the right as it did to the left, which surprised me). He glided some kind of heat sensor over my back to spot problems areas too. During all of this, he kept rattling off a bunch of big words (names for muscles and parts of the spine, etc) into his little recorder so he could make notes in my file later. It was all pretty cool. The best part was when I got to lie face down on the "table" (with the center section adjusted to make room for my belly) and he put warm pads, etc on my trouble spots and turned on the power and I got a nice heated massage. He also adjusted my back a bit with a precise tool and with his hands. I will be going to him twice a week for awhile until things are straightened out. I can't wait for this pain to be gone! It has been coming back more frequently since that one brutal time. It creeps back after I've been sitting for a bit so it makes it hard to work on the computer all day, to drive places, to watch a movie and to sit in church, etc.

Being pregnant costs money. Obviously the doctor visits and hospital stay cost money, but something you don't think about beforehand is the extra money you'll spend on food, toilet paper and your water bill. We go through a gallon of milk before a week has gone by (one used to last us more than a week) and I eat more (and more fresh fruit) so I have to go to the grocery store more often. I urinate a lot more often than normal so that uses more toilet paper and water (flushing). And because I eat so much (lots of cereal too) I use lots of dishes and we have to run the dishwasher like every other day, which makes our water bill go up.

I rarely get sick and I don't like going to the doctor. I don't go at the sign of a cold like some people do...I only go if I'm really sick and not doing well (if something lasts more than a few days). In fact, even though I've had the flu (or something else that caused me to throw up) a couple of times in the past few years I don't remember the last time I've gone to the doctor for an illness. I've gone to my gynecologist many times each year, but not a regular doctor. I hate waiting 30 minutes in the lobby with other sick people and then waiting another 20 minutes in the examing room for the doctor to come by. Well, I actually like going to the obstetrician, which is a good thing because you go monthly, then bi-weekly, then weekly during your pregnancy. It's fun to see all the other pregnant women in the waiting room (and it's nice to be in a waiting room where nobody is sick). The appointments are nice because they are quick, painless and reassure me that everything with the baby is fine. It's just so exciting to talk about the baby!

Childbirth Education Class

We've been to 2 of 5 childbirth education classes so far. The teacher is really friendly and spunky. There are 11 couples total in the class and I think my due date is the furthest away by a week. During the first class we broke into groups in order to get to know another couple better. Then after about 10 minutes of socializing, each couple introduced the other couple to the whole group. Our group actually had 3 couples in it since there was an odd number.

Next, the teacher talked about myths and fears, the fear-tension-pain cycle and creating a birth plan. She also showed us anatomy diagrams to show how displaced a pregnant woman's organs are due to the growing baby inside her. Crazy stuff. We discussed pregnancy discomforts and how to relieve them and she showed us some good stretches to do and breathing patterns for relaxation.

During the second class we talked more about relaxation and breathing patterns, as well as coping methods to use during contractions. She told us the signs of impending labor and how to properly time contractions. We discussed the first stage of labor (which has 3 parts--early, active and transition) and medication advantages and disadvantages.

I found it all very interesting and helpful. She said only about 30% of women will have their water break spontaneously before going into labor. And she mentioned that some women get a true nesting instinct 12-24 hours before they go into labor. This is a sudden burst of energy where they want to clean and organize everything. This usually happens after a night when they can't sleep. Now many women will spend their time cleaning and getting ready for the baby weeks and months before their due date and this is also called nesting. But, the TRUE nesting instinct (that you may or may not notice) is one sign of impending labor. Animals, such as dogs, have the same instinct 12-24 hours before they give birth. They have a burst of energy and root around gathering things like blankets and stuffed animals (if they live indoors) to make a nice bed for their pups.

Here is my belly at 32 weeks (I never tire of looking at it):



I've been watching "A Baby Story" on TLC every day lately. Every birth is so different and it helps me to see all the variety (good and bad). I am already mentally preparing myself to push this baby out! Ever since we started attending the childbirth class and I started watching "A Baby Story" I have been dreaming about baby Alisa and her birth more and more. It is starting to become more real and I am getting very excited. I can't wait to finally hold our baby girl!

Recent Happenings

Craig shaved his head on January 15th (it's an annual thing, though usually occurs in the summer so it was long overdue). He also ended up shaving his gotee completely off (something he hasn't done since 2000)! It took me several days to get used to seeing his chin again. He really does look different (and much younger) without the facial hair. He did it so he can look more professional when he visits a school this semester for his research and also in anticipation of baby Alisa (she would grab and tug hard on his gotee if he kept it). This picture makes him look like a crazy guy who is pulling his hair out in chunks:



Last Saturday we took Minga to the dog park and met our friends Keith & Karen there. They just got a dog (named her Devin) so we wanted to let the two dogs have some fun together and with others. Minga spent much of the time at the dog park racing around like a chicken with its head cut off. Usually she spends more time sniffing and roaming with other dogs, rather than just running by herself. She has a great time no matter what she does there. After leaving the dog park, we took the girls to the nearby pond and Minga went swimming (fetching sticks in the pond) for quite awhile. Devin didn't want to get in the water so she watched from dry land. Then we took them home and went out for dinner at a little Italian place by our house. Keith & Karen came over after a bit and brought Devin so she could play with Minga. Minga is younger and more aggressive than Devin, but eventually Devin wasn't so timid and the two were soon playing tug-o-war with a braided rope. They had a blast and we enjoyed watching them. Minga was very sad when Devin went home.

The next day she was still sad and also very sore. She wouldn't sit down all day and her tail just hung down limply. We first noticed the problem when we asked her to sit and she started to but then stood back up. She tried several times but just wouldn't sit all the way down so we realized something was wrong. We figured all the swimming (she uses her tail a lot for that) and romping with Devin really worked her muscles. Her tail was a bit better by the next day as it would perk up occasionally for an excited wagging. By Monday, she was back to normal.

Here is Minga with her limp tail:



I realized I can now easily rest bowls of food on the top of my belly when eating in the living room. Pretty cool!



We saw this trash-filled car at Borders last Saturday and just could not believe it. The whole back seat was piled high with trash (wrappers, magazines, newspapers, cups, etc) and the front passenger seat was piled up to the window with the same. There was even some on the driver's seat and floor. The whole car was greatly weighted down by all that trash...the exhaust pipe was so close to hitting the ground. It was all so disgusting and we can't imagine why someone would do that to their car?! They obviously don't ever have any passengers.



The city workers came this week and replaced the old run-down manhole covers in our yard:

Belly and Ultrasound Pics

Baby Alisa will arrive in about 11 weeks! My belly has definitely grown over the past 3 weeks and I've become a little more uncomfortable. It is hard to watch movies in the theater because my back starts hurting and I have to constantly shift my position to get some relief. Also, when I walk around too long or sleep at night my back hurts. I still wake up every few hours and have to roll over, but at least that strange ache in my legs doesn't happen every night anymore. My left ankle and hands have been a bit swollen for over a week now.

Here's my bare belly with my belly button popping out:



Alisa's movements are a bit stronger now and just the other day I started feeling them up by my belly button (they had all been really low before). Craig was finally able to feel her move last week (end of week 27)!

This week we had our 2nd 3D/4D ultrasound. We had one the day before we left for Tulsa (see details at end of this post) but the ultrasound tech scheduled a free redo for us because we didn't get a great view of Alisa's face from the front (the placenta and umbilical cord were in the way sometimes or she turned away). This time the view was better, but still not ideal. Alisa sure likes snuggling up to the placenta and keeping her hand near her face!

It was really cool for me to see Alisa's movements while feeling them at the same time during the ultrasound. The tech took still images from it and burned them onto a CD for us. She also recorded the whole hour long ultrasound onto a VHS tape so we can watch baby Alisa's movements again whenever we want. We actually have 2 hours worth of video since we got the free redo. Nice! Also, she recorded Alisa's heartbeat and put that on the video and took a still image of the heartbeat graph. Groovy!

We saw Alisa open and close her eyes, suck her thumb, open and close her mouth, throw her head back, move her limbs (one time she put her hand under her chin as if she was resting her head on her hand), etc. It was wonderful. So amazing that you can see all that just with them rubbing a transducer around on your belly!

This profile shot during the 1st 3D ultrasound on 12-15-06 revealed that Alisa has chubby cheeks already:



Here is Alisa on 12-15-06 with her eye open (the dark spot, so she's looking out of the corner of her eye)...her hand is up beside her face:



The placenta, umbilical cord and Alisa's arm obscure her face some in these 3D ultrasound pics from 1-11-07:





Looks like she's puckering up those big lips here as she snuggles back into the stuff of the womb (her nose looks bigger in this shot):



Sometimes the ultrasound tech displayed the regular ultrasound view and the 3D view at the same time. The regular view on the left was usually a profile shot and the 3D view on the right was from above:



Here is Alisa's foot, ankle bone and lower leg (the tech said she has big feet):



Here's what happened during my 1st 3D ultrasound on 12-15-06:
I drank most of a soda in the lobby beforehand as instructed so baby Alisa would wake up and move for us. The tech couldn't get a good front view of Alisa's face so she kept having me shift around. She had me lie flat on my back for a bit until I felt hot/flushed (you are not supposed to lie on your back for long this late in pregnancy because your circulation gets cut off). I switched to my side and felt fine. After a bit Alisa stopped moving and we didn't have a good view so the tech had me finish the soda and walk around a bit. I also jumped up and down and poked my belly to wake her up. I did that in the bathroom and accidentally knocked over the tall trashcan because I wasn't watching where I was jumping. The nurse outside asked if I was okay and I laughed and told her what happened. The trashcan had a lid so it didn't spill...it was just loud.

We continued the ultrasound but still couldn't get a great shot because of her position and sometimes because of her arm or the placenta. I started to feel really hot again even though I wasn't flat on my back anymore. I told her and she had me roll on my right side. I still felt hot and said I really needed to burp but couldn't. Then I felt nauseated and she had me sit up and asked if I needed a trashcan. I said yes because right then my mouth filled with saliva and I knew it was coming. I puked twice in the little trashcan and then felt great. I laughed and asked if anyone had ever puked during an ultrasound before and she said no. We continued the ultrasound for a little bit longer but realized Alisa looked like she was going back to sleep so that was about it.

So, the thing about having to pay for a 3D/4D ultrasound is that you never know what you are going to get (it just depends on the baby's position...and the other stuff drifting around in the womb). It's a risk we wanted to take though...for a chance to see our baby better. We are sure glad the tech didn't feel that we got our money's worth the first time. And I learned not to jump up and down after chugging a soda. :)

Governor's Square Mall

I spontaneously went to the mall today after dropping off Craig's laptop at the school for him. He had 2 classes back to back and wasn't coming home until after 10pm. I was hungry and craving Taco Bell again so I decided to just eat at the one in the food court and walk around the mall a bit for exercise. I went to Governor's Square Mall because it was kinda on the way home and I like that one better than the Tallahassee Mall, especially at night.



Remember me telling you about the minimal lighting inside that mall? Well, I took some pics for the heck of it. This time they had Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. Very nice.



I like the windows that are all around above the stores. This is overlooking part of the food court:



It's nice to sit in the area with the round tables and trees (on the other side of the fountain in this pic) instead of the main food court area. Here is the largest fountain area (there are a few) and the performance stage near the food court:



This is a closeup of the lights around the mirrored section of the pole that I posted about earlier:



It happened to be pet picture day with Santa so I watched that for bit. I only saw dogs (no cats) sitting on Santa's lap. Some of the owners were in the pictures too, so I'm thinking it was a family photo to send out in a Christmas card.

Oh, about Taco Bell...I ordered a soft taco and a bean burrito and the guy said they were out of soft tacos. I laughed and said, "Really? How is that even possible?" I ALWAYS get a soft taco so I found it hard to believe that they couldn't serve me one (I consider that to be their main item). I ordered a side of nachos instead and they were tasty. I've decided it's a fine tuned skill to choose the correct amount of cheese for each chip so that you have no cheese left and no excess cheese once you run out of chips. It makes it even trickier that they give you a different amount of chips each time. Ha!

I wandered around the whole mall and into a few stores. I went in the Motherhood Maternity store and tried on some shirts. My belly seemed to be bulging even more than earlier today. That was probably just because I could see it so well because there was a mirror right in front of it and the dressing room was well lit. I ended up buying another t-shirt (I only have one maternity one from my first visit there a month ago) and a pregnancy workout DVD. Fun!

Pregnancy Update

I first posted about my pregnancy on the 1st of last month so I decided it's time for an update (it just happens to be the 1st of this month).

I felt the baby move last week for the first time (the start of week 22)! All my friends said they felt their baby move at 19 weeks, but I read that some people don't feel movement until week 24 so I was trying not to worry that mine was later than my friends. The first time was just one quick flutter on my left side. It was 5:00am and I was trying to fall back asleep after Minga woke us up as she started puking. Then, the next day I felt her move a lot and it was different from that first flutter. It's kinda tickly like when you are starting to go down a big hill on a rollercoaster. Also feels like she is gently tumbling around inside me. No defined kicks yet...those will come as she grows, I'm sure. I've felt her many times throughout the day ever since that first time. Craig gets so excited every time I mention that she's moving. He can't wait until he can feel her movements too.

My belly has grown so much that I can no longer wear my normal jeans. I can still wear some of my normal workout pants if I position them under my belly. I went maternity shopping for the first time the day after my birthday and had a fun time. I never knew maternity clothes (pants in particular) were so comfortable! Sure, the cloth belly panel looks a little funny (when it's not covered up by a shirt), but it makes jeans sooooo comfy. No more zippers or buttons to mess with or to have pressing against your belly!

Even with this bigger rounded belly I sometimes forget I have it. The other day I was trying to lean around or peak over Craig's shoulder at the stove and I accidentally bumped him with my belly. Ha! When I'm sitting and looking at the computer I don't notice my belly because I don't see it or feel it. When I'm standing, I notice it some because it feels a bit tight just hanging there. Often when I'm sitting on the couch I look down at my belly and it looks really big and I can't believe I have it. I still find it hard to believe that I am pregnant! Seems like one of those things that happens to everyone else but not me. It's pretty trippy.

I've felt really good during this 2nd trimester, but I did puke one more time. It was after eating a slightly spicy dinner and then riding in the car for 30-40 minutes. I puked as soon as I got out of the car (before I went into the house). I think it was the car ride that did it because I've noticed that I get carsick pretty easily during pregnancy (especially in the 1st trimester when nausea was frequent anyway). Annoying!

I no longer have that stuffy nose feeling when I lie down for the night and I haven't had any round ligament pains in quite a while. I have had random occassions where I wake up in the night and my back hurts. It's always fine the next morning though. I still don't have to get up to go to the bathroom during the night even though I usually have some water within an hour of bedtime. That's good because I've noticed that if something does wake me up, it takes me a long time to fall back asleep (for no apparent reason).

Last week I was waking up about every 2-3 hours in the night with discomfort in my hip and thigh on whichever side I had been sleeping on. I'd roll over to the other side only to wake up again 2-3 hours later with discomfort on that side and have to roll over again for relief. I asked my doctor about it Monday at my appointment and based on his answer I was beginning to think it would continue throughout the rest of my pregnancy. He said the discomfort has to do with pregnancy changes to nerves and ligaments and how inflammation is common and the pressure of lying on my hip and thigh aggravates those conditions. He said I could try to pad my thighs more or lie at a slightly different angle (but still on my side) but that's about it. Well, I'm happy to say the past few nights I only had very mild discomfort and only once each night so there is hope that it will disappear completely.

Pregnancy definitely makes a gal more emotional. I cried about some bugs for the first time in my life. Yes, bugs have always given me the willies (especially worms) when they are inside the house, but I've never cried because of them. Well, Saturday night I got in bed around midnight. Craig wasn't ready for bed yet (he was playing on the computer) so I was alone. I was thinking about what big items we will need to buy for the baby first and I was almost asleep when I felt something on my ear. I dismissed it at first because the comforter was also right by my ear and I thought it must have been that. I thought I felt movement again and I touched my ear to move the comforter away from it at least so I wouldn't be so paranoid. I definitely felt something moving under my fingers though so I gently grabbed it and threw it to the floor and I screamed.

I keep a flashlight by the bed now since I may eventually need to get up in the night to pee and it's so dark I'd trip over Minga if she happened to be lying on the floor instead of her bed. I turned it on but didn't see anything. I jumped out of bed thinking maybe I didn't actually throw the bug off of it. I turned on the bedroom light and searched all around the floor for the intruder.

I found a wriggling centipede between my nightstand and Craig's dresser! I tried to pick it up with a kleenex but was so freaked out about it touching me that I ended up getting several more because it was so long and wriggly. I tried stepping on it with my slipper so it would stop moving but it didn't (I didn't want to step so hard that it would make a mess). I finally got it with a huge wad of kleenex and I rushed it to the toilet.

I went back to the room to look for more bugs because I was pretty sure that guy wasn't the one on me. I checked all the covers on the bed and everywhere on the floor. I finally saw a big cockroach in the nook area clear across the room. I stepped on him gently a few times so he couldn't get away. Those guys have lots of guts that gush out if you step too hard--nasty! I picked him up with a kleenex and threw him in the toilet with the centipede and flushed them goodbye.

Then I started crying. I washed my hands and just kept on sobbing, wondering why I was sobbing about it. My crying persisted so I decided to just go ahead and have a good cry. Craig heard me and came down the 2 flights of stairs to see what was up. I told him everything and he ended up getting ready for bed and going to bed with me then. I was glad because I was still paranoid about bugs. By that time it was 1:00am.

I'm mad that we've seen a few cockroaches recently. We bombed the whole house one weekend and saw lots of carnage from that so we knew it worked. Then we put traps all around each room. I guess the cockroaches we've seen since have snuck in to get out of the cold and hadn't found the traps yet. Ugh. If Minga sees them she will play with them with her mouth and paw until they stop moving. Then we pick up the bodies with a kleenex and throw them away. Saves us from trying to catch and squish them (they are fast and can fly so you have to be quick!) and Minga has a good time.

Back to my pregnancy...my eating habits have taken a turn for the worse. In the 1st trimester, I felt like eating healthy foods the majority of the time. Well, the 2nd trimester has returned me to my normal eating habits. I've been eating more sweets (made some really delicious chocolatey brownies and ate them with vanilla ice cream) and things like buttery biscuits and many meals without veggies. I often crave Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (the cheap stuff) and Taco Bell (soft tacos, nachos and bean burritos) and I've been giving in to those cravings. I have gained a little too much weight because of this--doh! I must go on daily walks and start eating better again or I will have tons of weight to lose after the birth (which I hear is pretty darn hard to do)!

As I mentioned before, my first visit to the doctor after I moved to Florida was just an informational session. They asked questions about my (and my family's) health history and then gave me a folder of information and a book called "Your Pregnancy & Birth." In the folder was a magazine called "As Your Baby Grows: From Conception to Birth". This magazine has the most amazing photos of babies in the womb! They were taken from the 4th edition of the book "A Child is Born." The magazine describes what is happening during each month of pregnancy and shows detailed pictures of the baby at that phase.

Here's some interesting stuff I learned by reading the magazine and a couple of books....

It's interesting to know that a female is born with all the eggs she will ever have in her lifetime. It's amazing that a man deposits several hundred million sperm in a woman during intercourse and only one or two hundred actually reach the waiting egg. As soon as one sperm breaks through the clear membrane surrounding the egg, the membrane toughens so that no other sperm can enter.

In the 3rd month of pregnancy, the intestines form outside the baby's body (within the umbilical cord) because for the time being his abdomen it too small to hold them all. They will move entirely into the abdomen in the 4th month. Crazy!

Also, the eyelids grow over developing eyes (which have shifted to their proper positions on the face) and will fuse together and stay closed until the 7th month. The baby's skin is transparent and will remain so for many months.

By the 2nd half of the 3rd month, the baby's umbilical cord is well formed. It contains two arteries (which carry waste away from the baby through the placenta to the mother) and one vein (which brings nourishment and oxygen from the mother through the placenta to the baby). Blood flows so rapidly through the umbilical cord that it only takes seconds to make the round trip.

In the 5th month, the mother can recognize the baby's movements. The baby floats and tumbles freely in about a pint of amniotic fluid. Most of the fluid is made up of fetal urine and most of it is removed by the baby's swallowing (this urine doesn't harm the baby). The amniotic fluid, which is constantly made and absorbed, is completely replaced about every 24 hours.

Babies do all sorts of things in the womb, such as suck their thumbs, do somersaults, make facial expressions, raise their arms to their face and tuck in their legs in response to loud noises, and even hiccup.

Breakdown of Weight Gain During Pregnancy:
Baby - 7.5 lbs
Placenta - 1.5 lbs
Amniotic fluid - 2 lbs
Uterus - 2 lbs
Breasts - 2 lbs
Blood - 4 lbs
Body Fluids - 4 lbs
Maternal Stores of Fat, Proteins, Nutrients - 7 lbs
Total Weight Gain - 30 lbs

Now that I'm pregnant it seems pretty crazy that I'm supposed to gain 25-35 lbs in 9 months. At least most of it isn't fat so it's not so noticeable (the belly sure is noticeable though!).

I was surprised at how much harder it is to breathe and how easily I get winded during pregnancy (no one ever told me about that and how it starts even in the 1st trimester before you've gained weight). I read that early in pregnancy, the increase of the hormone progesterone causes you to feel short of breath. And, pregnancy hormones stimulate the respiratory center to increase the frequency and depth of the breaths, giving you the feeling you're "breathing hard." They also swell the capillaries of the respiratory tract and other places in the body, and relax the muscles of the lungs, bronchial tubes and other muscles. Later in pregnancy, that deep breath becomes even harder to take as the growing uterus pushes up against the diaphragm, crowding the lungs and making it difficult for them to expand fully.

I also learned that you are not supposed to lie on your back after the 1st trimester because the weight of your growing uterus rests on your back, intestines and 2 major blood vessels: the aorta (the vein responsible for bringing blood from the heart to the rest of your body) and the inferior vena cava (the vein responsible for returning blood from the lower body to the heart). Lying on your back can aggravate back aches and hemorrhoids, make digestion less efficient, interfere with breathing and circulation and possibly cause low blood pressure.

There are so many things that can happen to a pregnant woman that it's quite crazy! Problems/discomforts come and go as your body is rapidly changing. You just gotta take one thing at a time and focus on the "prize". Everyone's body reacts differently to pregnancy...even the same person has different pregnancy experiences each time they are pregnant. Thankfully, there are a lot of books on the subject that can give you an idea of what might happen (or is happening) to you. The best thing is to be educated, but at the same time not worry about the negative posibilities. Most pregnancies aren't too problematic and most babies are born totally healthy. Yeah!

Shopping while pregnant

I went to Governor's Square Mall yesterday to get my free $20 Discover gift card. The process was simple (show them my receipts totaling at least $200 and sign my name on a list indicating that I received a gift card) and I didn't have to wait in line. Yeah! Of course I browsed the mall next. Actually, I started by eating a chocolate chip cookie with frosting on it from the Great American Cookie Co. I love treating myself to that when shopping at the mall and I hadn't had one in a looooong time.

It's different shopping now that I'm pregnant (aside from the fact that I go to the bathroom about every hour). Most of the stores at the mall are clothing stores, but I can't wear normal clothes anymore so I have to skip a lot of stores while browsing. I did manage to find the tiny maternity section at JC Penney and ended up buying 3 necessary items (that were on sale!)--another pair of jeans (this pair has the panel that sits under the belly, my other pair has the panel that goes over the belly), a black long-sleeved shirt and a grey long-sleeved shirt.

The maternity/plus size dressing room was closed and locked so I had to find another one and it was clear across the store. I was a bit perturbed about that...of all the dressing rooms that should stay open, that is the one because it is more of a burden for the heavier ladies to walk far! I had to try a medium and large size of everything because I'm not sure which one would fit better so I had a heavy stack of clothes. Oy!

I also bought 2 Christmas candle holders and 2 oil warmers with some birthday money. The designs on the candle holders are more visible when the tealights are lit inside because then the shapes glow through. I love snowflakes and elephants so I was very happy to find these! The elephant oil warmer is the cutest ever!





Once it was dark outside I realized that the mall looks really neat inside in the evenings. The lighting is minimal so it was mostly dark overhead (way up in the rafters) with the glow from the stores all around. There were only a few small bulbs for the overhead lighting and the rest of the lighting was comprised of small bulbs arranged in 3 rows around a mirrored section high up on the supporting poles. Very nifty!

I found out that at this mall you can take your pet to get a picture on Santa's lap. How funny is that? They say since your pet is part of the family, why not? I'd like to see how that goes down. I know Minga wouldn't sit still! She'd probably pull Santa's beard off!

I'm PREGNANT!!

I'm sure most of you already know by now that I'm pregnant, but here is the official report with pics....

I found a pregnancy test that my cousin had given me (she was pregnant and didn't need it anymore) when we were packing to move to Florida. On Friday, July 21st at 5:30pm Craig suggested that I take the test because we were going out to dinner with friends that night (for the last time before moving) and might consume margaritas or some other tasty alcoholic beverage. I took the test and was SO surprised to see that it turned out positive that I screamed. I hadn't had any symptoms yet, except a few days here and there where I was unexpectedly tired (I had just chocked those up to working all day and then packing and preparing for the big move every evening).

I took another test the next morning (don't we all?) and then scheduled an appointment with my doctor ASAP. On Tuesday, the nurse confirmed my pregnancy with a urine test and told me I was already 9 weeks along based on the menstrual & basal temperature charts of mine that I had shown her. I was in disbelief. She told me to take prenatal vitamins, rest a lot, get plenty of calcium and not to lift heavy objects. I gave blood at the lab for tests (HIV and other diseases) and that was it. I didn't see the doctor since I was moving in 2 days and my new doctor would want to do the complete exam and history visit.

So, that Thursday and Friday we drove to Florida. I drove my car the whole way and Craig drove the Jeep with Minga in the passenger seat. My parents drove their van pulling a U-Haul trailer (both were full of our things that weren't allowed on the moving truck, such as our little gas grill and propane camping stove). My mom ended up riding with me most of the time to help keep me awake. I couldn't have driven the whole 941 miles (15 1/2 hours + stops) without her. My parents and I stopped at a motel for the night but Craig kept driving with Minga. He was anxious to get to the house and we had to be sure someone got there before the ABF moving truck arrived with our things on Friday. To make a long story short, we had no trouble during our travels and we got everything unloaded from our cars, the van and the large truck by 8:30pm Friday night. We were exhausted and rested while eating pizza (delivery) for dinner.

My parents stayed with us a week to help unpack and settle in, which included using their van to haul the large items we bought for the house. During the week, I noticed some more pregnancy symptoms (fuller & sore breasts, had to urinate a lot, felt sick if waited too long to eat and had more days where I was extremely tired). The Sunday after they left my nausea began. I was nauseated 24/7 and it sucked. I was constantly eating crackers and mints to tame it. I never threw up though (thank God). I don't handle nausea well so by Saturday I broke down crying. I didn't know when it would ease up and I didn't think I could handle any more. Craig saw my distress and immediately comforted me and did all the chores I was trying to do (clean the bathrooms, etc). Thankfully, the nausea eased up during the next day. It was sporatic for a bit and then came faithfully every evening (before and after dinner, lasting until bedtime). I hated bedtime because lying down made me feel worse. But, I always managed to drift off to sleep and didn't usually wake until morning (and I always felt fine in the morning).

I finally made an appointment with a doctor in Florida on August 24th. They asked me questions about my health history, took blood for more tests and gave me a packet of information about pregnancy (what foods to eat, what drugs I can and can't take, etc) and the hospital here. They also gave me a book called "Your Pregnancy and Birth" which is a good one covering all the basics and a couple of magazines (one has really incredible and amazing photos of a baby in the womb during each month of pregnancy). They scheduled my next appointment and sent me on my way. I was pleased not to even have to pay a co-pay for the visit.

I had my first ultrasound at my next appointment on September 8th. I met the doctor for the first time then and was pleased by my random choice (the nurses told me during my first visit that he's a favorite around there). The doctor said that according to the size of the baby I was only 11 weeks and not 16. We were shocked and had to adjust to that news. So, that meant that the last bleeding I had in June was not the implantation bleeding like I had thought but must have been an early and light period. Weird. My body played some tricks on me! The setback turned out to be good because it meant I had more time to do things right (food and exercise) and that traveling at Christmas would be a bit easier because I'd be a month less far along than originally thought. Oh, my new due date is March 29th, which is Craig's birthday!

The ultrasound was great because we could see the baby's heart beating and limbs moving. They gave us 3 pictures (which we promptly put on our fridge) and scheduled my next appointment for a month later. At the next appointment we got to hear the baby's heartbeat and ask the doctor questions.

We had a little scare in between appointments because I tested positive for being a carrier of cystic fibrosis (blood test). That means I have a defective gene on chromosome 7. They had to test Craig to see if he is a carrier too. If he wasn't then we'd have nothing to worry about. If he was though, there is a 25% chance that our baby would have cystic fibrosis (and a 50% chance that our baby wouldn't have the disease but would be a carrier). I had to read up about it on the internet. It's an awful, life-threatening disease. It affects the lungs and pancreas mostly (mucus clogs them and causes problems). Not a fun way to live! Praise God he tested negative! Case closed.

At the beginning of the 2nd trimester my nausea went away completely. Wahoooo! I also had more energy and actually felt hungry before mealtimes instead of just sick. I've only thrown up once so far and it seemed really random to me. We were getting ready to go out to eat dinner and I suddenly didn't feel well but thought it was just because I was hungry. I asked Craig to hurry and get his shoes on while I started munching on carrots. Suddenly, I rushed over to the kitchen sink and threw up several times. It was hard puking while standing like that (I had never done it before)! I had eaten lunch (leftover crockpot meal of carrots, potatoes, onions and chicken) about 5 hours earlier and let me just say that it didn't look digested. I was upset that I threw up that night because it was the one night we actually had plans to go downtown with our only Tallahassee friends. Needless to say, we didn't go out to dinner. I ate soup and tried to figure out if I felt well enough to still go out later. An hour and a half later I decided that I felt totally fine and we did go downtown and then to a late movie with our friends. Yeah!

So here I am now...19 weeks pregnant and feeling good. I still get hungry every 2-3 hours so I eat 6-7 times a day. I think my stomach has shrunk because I can't eat big meals anymore. It's better to eat 6 small meals a day rather than 3 normal/large ones anyway. I eat oatmeal every morning (for my first breakfast) and have not tired of it yet (amazing). My snacks are mostly cereal (the healthy ones), fruit (I crave fruit a lot), cheese & crackers, yogurt (need that calcium!) and granola or breakfast bars. I was surprised to discover that I don't crave sweets (other than ice cream) anymore. They still taste good when I do eat them, but I don't eat them as much because I don't strongly desire them (and if you don't strongly desire sweets, then why eat them because they aren't good for you). I get winded easily (due to hormonal changes) and have a harder time breathing when lying down because my nose feels a bit stuffed up even though it's clear (I've read that it's because the mucus membranes in my nose are a bit swollen from all the extra blood coursing through me). I've also felt a few sharp pains here and there which is due to my expanding uterus (the round ligaments that support it are stretching). It sounds funny but I rejoice at every bowel movement I have because I've heard/read so much about constipation during pregnancy (and constipation can lead to awful hemorrhoids!).

I just had my 2nd ultrasound on October 30th. They said come with a full bladder but I had to pee so badly when I woke up that I decided to get relief instead of holding it until the appointment, which was an hour later. I then drank my usual 8 oz of orange juice with breakfast, but also drank 8 oz of water (all I could get down before the appointment). By the time I was shown back to the ultrasound room (20 minutes after my scheduled appointment) I really really had to go pee again. I told the ultrasound tech that I had a full bladder as requested and she said it didn't have to be uncomfortably full, just needed a little something in it. She started the ultrasound and saw that my bladder was so full that it was cramping the baby's space (I didn't know it would do that!). She took a picture of my cervix and then had me empty my bladder so the baby could stretch out and she'd be able to get good pictures. So, a full bladder is not necessary for a baby-viewing ultrasound after all! It was good for viewing the cervix though. This ultrasound was a long one (so great!) done by an ultrasound tech (rather than the doctor) who checks every part of the baby's body to be sure everything looks good. She was really nice and explained what she was looking at (kidneys, heart, liver, spine, lips, thigh bones, etc) so we knew what was going on. When she showed us the baby's privates and said it's a girl, I cried because that's what Craig and I really wanted to have first. She tooks lots of pics (one of every major part) and gave us 9. I've posted the best 3 here.

Baby girl's belly, hand and face:



Baby girl's body with feet up over her head:



Baby's head and spine:



And here are those current belly pics some of you have requested:







I used to be able to wear this shirt without my belly showing!

I'll keep you posted on the pregnancy and provide you with more pics as my belly grows.