My positive philosophy about life, things, and just about everything. "Better than most" is pretty damn good so I am not fretting about the rest.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Officially Full Term!

Well, I am officially full term at just past 37 weeks! My Dr said the baby is free to come at any time now. That is such great news!

I had a Dr's appt today and was surprised to find I lost 1.5 lbs despite the Thanksgiving holiday. I am not complaining. :) I have ready that it is quite normal to lose a few lbs in the final months. This puts my total weight gain at 28 lbs. I am quite happy with this # since I think it is pretty good for my height of 5'11". I wish I could say I didn't worry about the weight at all, but that is a lie. Gaining has been hard for me. I was just hoping I did not gain a crazy amount that was going to be very difficult to take off. I have many friends who gained 50, 60, 65 lbs. So, I have heard my share of post baby complaints.

At my visit today there was no change in my cervix from last week. 1 cm dilated. Although she did say 90% effaced and said that is what she recorded last week -- so I guess I was 90% effaced last week and mistaken.

The training session I am holding starts tomorrow AM so I have just about made it to my work goal. I only need to make it through Friday and I am golden.

Things between M and I have been particularly wonderful. He has been so sweet and appreciative of me, I feel very lucky.

I have a great feeling this will be a wonderful Christmas!

Officially Full Term!

Well, I am officially full term at just past 37 weeks! My Dr said the baby is free to come at any time now. That is such great news!

I had a Dr's appt today and was surprised to find I lost 1.5 lbs despite the Thanksgiving holiday. I am not complaining. :) I have ready that it is quite normal to lose a few lbs in the final months. This puts my total weight gain at 28 lbs. I am quite happy with this # since I think it is pretty good for my height of 5'11". I wish I could say I didn't worry about the weight at all, but that is a lie. Gaining has been hard for me. I was just hoping I did not gain a crazy amount that was going to be very difficult to take off. I have many friends who gained 50, 60, 65 lbs. So, I have heard my share of post baby complaints.

At my visit today there was no change in my cervix from last week. 1 cm dilated. Although she did say 90% effaced and said that is what she recorded last week -- so I guess I was 90% effaced last week and mistaken.

The training session I am holding starts tomorrow AM so I have just about made it to my work goal. I only need to make it through Friday and I am golden.

Things between M and I have been particularly wonderful. He has been so sweet and appreciative of me, I feel very lucky.

I have a great feeling this will be a wonderful Christmas!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

36.5 weeks - 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced!

Just got back from an OB appt at 36.5 weeks and I am 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I now that could mean something or could mean nothing.

I have heard of people who are dilated for weeks.

M and mother are worries because they want the baby to wait until at least 12/10. And you know, I am hoping to make it until 12/1 (big work project). But, I know we can't schedule her - she will come when she is good and ready.

I am hoping she delays her debut because I know the longer she is inside me and protected the better it will be for her. The Dr says her official prediction is that I will be early so I am hoping for the week of 12/10. Thatw would be perfect. ;)

Monday, November 20, 2006

Reality sets in

As my due date nears this while baby thing is becoming pretty real. There have been some major events with a few of my friends. One, who was due 12/2 gave birth last Tuesday on 11/14 . It was her first baby. Her water broke and her husband was out of town. I spoke to her when she was in labor and she made the pain seem awful at just 1 cm. I am hoping she is just dramatic or has a low pain tolerance.

Another friend who is due 1/17 checked into the hospital on 11/12 because her water broke more than 2 months early! Fortunately, her water is regenerating so she is on bed rest and hoping to keep the baby inside for 3 more weeks to get to 34 weeks before delivery. They do not seem to concerned about the baby though. He is doing well and they gave her a few steroid injections to speed lung development. It was a crazy week last week.

All of these early baby's made me a little nervous because M was is Seattle this past weekend. But, he came home last night and my weekend was uneventful (although packed) because I saw 3 different friends each day. One gave me tons of almost new baby things including some bigger ticket items like a swing and extra car seat base. I feel very fortunate that we have saved some $$.

All of the baby purchases gets expensive. My car seat was $230! I know there are cheaper ones but I opted for the Peg Perego that matches the stroller my mother purchased. I was sad to know it is strictly for infants and she will outgrow it at 22 lbs. But, my sister is planning to start TTC in January so my things will be put to good use!

Now I am focusing on Xmas shopping. I want to get it all done ASAP so I know I can go into labor knowing I have it all covered. I wonder if I will be late and still be baby-less at Xmas -- it is very possible. At this point, I don't care when she comes -- as long as it is after December 1st because of my work project. After that, as long as she is healthy I am fine if she hurries up or takes her time.

Sure, pregnancy is getting a little uncomfortable and tedious now but I have been blessed with a great pregnancy so far. I am very mobile and still going to the gym 3-4 times a week + prenatal yoga.

But at 36 weeks it is great to know that Skylar could be born today and healthy! I am so happy all has gone well. Now, I can't wait to meet her and see her little face. I have a feeling that she will look like M and hope she does. He was the cutest little baby. But, maybe I am biased :)

Anyway - back to work...

Sunday, November 12, 2006

35 weeks and cord blood dilemma

Wow, just less than 5 weeks away. I can't believe it. Sometimes I feel like it has flown by and sometimes I feel like it is creeping by. But, before you know it she will be here.

I continue to have dreams about Skylar and although I never quite see her face, she always has hair. So, it will be interesting to see if that is true.

I had a wonderful baby shower last weekend. It is an amazing experience to have all of the women you care about together in one room. I have friends from many parts of my life and they all seem to get along so well. I saw so many of my friends getting to know each other and exchanging ph#s and e-mails it felt really good to know that i have such friendly and loving people in my life.

I a still feeling pretty good although sleeping has gotten a little rough. I woke up 5 time last night to go to the bathroom and I was having some crappy feeling when I laid on my left side (the preferred position for a preggo.) I just finally propped my feet up and slept on my back. That seemed to help. I lose my ankles from tome to time as well with swelling, but other than that I am not complaining.

The biggest thing I have been focusing on lately is work. A big project is reaching its climax on 11/27 so that is the looming landmark right now -- much more than my due date. Once 12/1 hits and the pilot training session I am leading concludes, I will breathe a huge sigh of relief. I am not worried about going into labor early -- I just have a feeling I will be late. I a a very impatient person so it seems fitting that i will be late.

Tomorrow I have a Dr's appt. She will do the normal routine (weight, BP, baby's HB) and the Group B strep test. Then I will move on to weekly appts and cervical checks! I had to decide about cord blood by this appt and after much thought and research I have opted for public donation as opposed to private banking. Funny how hard it was to find a company to do that.

I really struggled with this decision. It is costly but we could afford it. And, what if I needed it for my baby, would I kick myself for not storing it?

But, the more I read the more it seemed that private banks were distinctly "for profit" and feed off of the fears of new parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse private banking (at this point) and there are many conflicting use statistics out there.

An interesting statistic of the public bank is that only 50% of cord blood collected is viable so some will not necessarily be stored in the bank after collection. The private companies do not tell you this. So, quite conceivably, 50% of people could be paying for a storing non-viable samples year after year!

If we all donated to public banks then access to cord blood and stem cells would not be limited to only those who can afford it. So, that is my PSA.

I will check back in after my Dr's appt tomorrow. Ciao!