28 Weeks

How your baby's growing: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

How your life's changing: You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.) Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

How I'm doing: Still doing pretty good. I'm starting to feel a little tired at the end of the day and I think my body is starting to feel the effects of carrying extra weight (which is about 20 lbs at this point). I feel lucky that I can still sleep through the night and can sleep fairly well and comfortably in general. I have been waking up earlier than usual and haven't been able to get back to sleep. Perhaps my circadian rhythm is starting to adjust to an infant's schedule? I'm not a morning person so it's quite unusual for me to get up earlier than necessary, especially on a work day.

The baby is still kicking away. She's moving around for a lot of the day now. Usually she's just moving but sometimes she kicks hard. Scott has been able to feel her a lot now. She gets really active when I lay down in bed for the night, right before lunchtime and mid-afternoon pretty regularly. Sometimes I think she's telling me she's hungry but I don't know how true that is. My arms now touch the sides of my stomach when I type so she often kicks my arms--like right now. I think she may be head down already. I think I'm feeling the stronger kicks of her feet up near my ribs and smaller movements of her arms lower on my belly. The midwife may be able to confirm that in tomorrow's appointment.

Tomorrow I get to deal with many of the issues mentioned above. I'll get a RhoGam shot since I'm Rh negative and Scott is Rh positive. If I didn't get this shot I would risk forming antibodies to Rh positive blood which would attack any future fetuses who might be Rh positive. I will have at least one more shot right after the baby's born. Also, on the docket for tomorrow's appointment is my Glucose Tolerance Test. I'll start with the 1-hour test, which entails drinking a sugary orange drink and then having a blood test. This is to check to make sure I haven't developed Gestational Diabetes which would need to be treated with a low-sugar diet and possibly insulin shots. So let's hope I pass! If I don't pass, I'll have to take a 3-hour version of the test with more blood draws. So tomorrow's appointment should be longer and not very fun. At least we'll get to hear the baby's heartbeat.

The baby is now far enough along that she has an excellent survival rate even if born now. She has more than an 85% chance of survival and her lungs are developed enough that she can breathe air. So it's a very reassuring time point.

Our first birth class is this Thursday. We're very excited to start this preparation.

Creative use of space

As most of you know, we share a small 1-bedroom apartment with a rabbit named Charlie. He's quite spoiled and he sleeps in a palatial cage that's actually intended for a full-grown Great Dane or St. Bernard. Until recently, this has pretty much been wasted space for us. That is until I had a light bulb moment and wondered if I could turn the top of his cage into a baby changing station. It occurred to me that I could put a board across the top of the cage, add a changing pad and voila, instant changing table. My initial idea was to just paint a piece of plywood and maybe put some thin trim around the edge to get rid of the rough corners. Scott improved on that plan and suggested I cover it in fabric instead. So the project began...

We bought a piece of plywood at Home Depot. We had them cut it for us since they'll do that for free anyway and then we had a much smaller piece of wood to transport. I went to Joann's Fabric to get a coordinating piece of solid fabric and some kind of padding. I found a nice shade of green fabric and a sheet of some really nice unbleached cotton padding intended to be the inside of a baby quilt. After seeing many things padded on many a home improvement show I had a feeling this project wasn't going to be too difficult. As it turns out, it is as easy as it looks on TV.

The finished product is below. The shelf on the end will hold a lot of our day-to-day baby items; diapers, wipes, socks, onesies, sleepers, receiving blankets, etc. Surprisingly, we already have quite a bit of stuff.

The changing pad will go where the towel is, but we don't have one yet. A changing table for about $30; even Ikea can't beat that. If you have a keen eye, you may have noticed baby's first stuffed animal is indeed a RAT!

27 weeks

How your baby's growing: This week your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He can now open and close his eyes, and he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. He may suck his fingers, and although his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to him, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what he's thinking?

How your life's changing: Your body is gearing up for the final lap, so you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all. They may also be aggravated by sluggish circulation and compressed nerves caused by your growing uterus. (As your uterus expands, it puts pressure on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.) Unfortunately, the cramps are likely to get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle (by straightening your leg and then gently flexing your toes back toward your shins) should give you some relief. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.

It may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, but it's not too soon to think about family planning. You'll want to have made some decisions before your baby arrives. In some states, if you're considering a tubal ligation during your hospital stay, laws require that you sign a consent form at least a month before delivery day. (You can still change your mind later.)

How I'm doing: I feel pretty lucky at the moment. I am still able to sleep well and even though I'm doing things slower, I don't really have any aches and pains to speak of. I really feel like yoga has helped with this. I have noticed a definite increase in flexibility and strength since I started attending regularly. Unfortunately, after this week I will be down to only attending once a week since our birth class is also on Thursday evenings. I have also been trying to go to the gym as much as possible too. Swimming still feels a little strange since I'm more buoyant than before. But I alternate swimming with riding the bike.

As I mentioned, our birthing class starts next week. We will be taking an 8-week Bradley birthing class which focuses on husband-coached natural childbirth. We are taking the class through Birth and Beyond which is a birthing and infant resource center in Santa Monica. Our midwives recommended the class and we'll be taking it along with a friend and her husband who are due about a month after us. We're very much looking forward to getting the ball rolling.

The baby is kicking quite strongly now. She can easily be felt from the outside it's just a matter of being in the right place and the right time to catch it. She's fond of kicking up a storm and then taking a nap as soon as her daddy tries to feel her move. He has felt her though. She kicks so strongly that you can easily see my stomach move, even through clothing. We've tried to catch this on tape but she's been uncooperative so far. She seems to be a feisty one. But she's only kicked me hard enough, or in the right location, to hurt once. Hopefully it will stay that way. She does like to stretch and pushes back when my pants push into my stomach when I'm sitting. She doesn't like my elastic waistbands I don't think.

Registries!

We registered this weekend. I've done a lot of research on everything. I've read through the bible of baby equipment, Baby Bargains, at least a couple of times, plus read lots of reviews online and on message boards. We've also read a lot of safety information.

So we have a couple registries since there seems to be only certain stores available in certain areas. Thankfully Amazon.com can be viewed from computers anywhere.

Babies R Us

Amazon.com

Target

26 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber), from head to heel. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days. How your life's changing: Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly as it returns to its normal pre-pregnancy range. (It was at a low from 22 to 24 weeks.) Though preeclampsia most often occurs in the last trimester, this is a good time to be aware of the warning signs of this dangerous condition that occurs in about 3 to 7 percent of all pregnancies. Signs you should be alert for include swelling of the hands and face, sudden weight gain (due to water retention), blurry vision, seeing spots before your eyes, sudden severe or persistent headaches, or upper abdominal pain. By checking for high blood pressure and protein in your urine, your caregiver will monitor you for preeclampsia at your routine prenatal visits, but call her immediately if you have any of these symptoms before your next appointment. Early identification of preeclampsia is essential for the health of you and your baby. If your back seems a little achy lately, you can thank pregnancy hormones (which are loosening up your joints and ligaments) and your shifting center of gravity. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath — or cool compress — might bring relief. Or you may want to schedule a prenatal massage by a trained therapist. Use a pregnancy wedge when sleeping, to support your back and abdomen. Try to maintain good posture, which will help reduce the strain on your back, and always take care when bending and lifting. If you experience severe pain or numbness in any area of your body, call your practitioner.

How I'm doing: I'm doing well. A few aches and pains for part of this week--typical pregnancy issues. Those have all pretty much resolved now and I'm feeling good again. My flexibility is returning thanks to yoga classes twice a week. I'm hoping that will help me during labor and recovery. I've also been going to the gym in addition to yoga. Work going is fine. I have noticed that my back is getting uncomfortable by the afternoon since most of my day is spent sitting. My tailbone is also sore. I'm sure all my joints and moving and spreading making room of the baby's exit route. I'm still planning on working as long as possible so all my time off can be spent with the baby.

We set up the crib last night. Thankfully there weren't too many pieces. Today we went out and purchased the crib mattress. Scott did a lot of research to find just the right one. We went with a Simmons. So now our crib is all set up for baby.

Baby's corner:
You can see why we don't need a bassinet for this baby. You can see our bed on the left-hand side just next to the bookcase.

Mostly likely we'll move that bookshelf out of the room to add a little more space. Next weekend's project is to get the changing table area set up.

Since we had the camera out, Scott took a new picture of the bump:

Baby is getting big and strong. Scott was able to see her kick from the outside of my belly. That was exciting since he's still not sure he has felt her kick (I think he has though).

It's a three-day weekend! Scott has to work at least half the day on Monday but I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing day.

25 weeks - the 3rd Trimester!?!

How your baby's growing: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.

How your life's changing: Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but the hair you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. You may also notice darker or thicker body hair. It will return to normal in the weeks after you give birth. You probably can't move around as gracefully as before. It's fine to continue to exercise, but use your common sense: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired, and stop if you feel any pain or when you begin to feel at all fatigued, dizzy, or short of breath. Don't lie on your back too long or do any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods. When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, your practitioner may take a second tube of blood at the same time to check for anemia. Although your blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, the total amount of your red blood cells becomes diluted — a problem sometimes called physiologic anemia that's common in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. If your blood tests show that you have anemia, your caregiver will likely recommend that you take a supplement.

How I'm doing: Some books call 25 weeks the start of the 3rd trimester. Since the book I have does I guess that means we're in the homestretch (some say it doesn't start until as late as 27 or 28 weeks). It's starting to feel close. Things are going normally. I'm getting bigger and moving around is just starting to get interesting. Getting in and out of the car while it's in the garage is already starting to become a challenge. Since we have a 1-car garage there isn't enough space to open the car doors all the way. I'm wondering if I'll be able to continue to park in the garage until the end of this pregnancy.

We purchased the baby's crib this weekend. After a lot of thought and discussion, we changed our minds and went with a crib from IKEA. First of all, it's a lot cheaper. We felt the extra money would be better placed in a college fund rather than a piece of furniture. Secondly, it's smaller and fits our small space better. Space is a big concern for us since we're staying in our 1-bedroom apartment.

It's important to remember that all cribs have to pass the same safety standards to be sold in the US. So as long as you buy a new crib (or you know the crib's history and if it's been recalled) all crib meet certain standards. Unfortunately, accidents still do happen and babies are injured and killed in cribs every year. Fortunately, IKEA has a clean safety record. Even the floor model was still sturdy and holding up well. That's saying something after the hundreds or thousands of people that go through that rat maze every day shaking it, kicking it and whatever else they might try doing to it to test it's limits. Other pluses are that it's almost completely made with solid beech and spruce and the the trees aren't milled from intact natural forests, so it's a bit more sustainable at least. And it converts into a toddler bed if we keep it after we move and another baby isn't using it.

We also purchased a stroller. It was on a super deal at Amazon.com and we didn't want to miss that price. It's on backorder so we probably won't get it for a while yet anyway. This will be our baby stroller (an infant seat easily snaps in) and then a backup stroller, traveling stroller, or just when we want something smaller (we'd still like to get a more heavy duty stroller than can handle sandy beaches, easy hiking trails, and the bumpy sidewalks of LA).

It's the Kolcraft Contours Options 4 wheeler, wow that's a mouthful:
And the whole seat pops off so the infant car seat can snap in.
We had planned on getting a stroller called a Snap 'n Go anyway, which basically functions almost exactly like the 2nd photo above. We decided it made more sense to pay a little bit more and get a complete stroller that can last through toddlerhood rather than just the first 6 months.

Hopefully Scott will be able to get the crib set up this weekend and I will take some pictures of the "nursery corner". It looks like it's going to be a complicated and time consuming set up though. And we still need to purchase the mattress since these are not included with cribs.

24 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance **that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

How your life's changing: The top of your uterus is now an inch or so above your belly button, which means it's about the size of a soccer ball. With the skin on your abdomen and breasts stretching, you may feel a little itchy now and then. If your skin is dry, keeping it well moisturized may help. Also, your eyes may be sensitive to light and feel gritty and dry. This is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom known as dry-eye. To ease your discomfort, use an artificial tears solution to add moisture. Most women will have a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between 24 and 28 weeks. This test checks for gestational diabetes, a high-blood-sugar condition during pregnancy. Untreated, high blood sugar increases your risk for having a difficult vaginal delivery or needing a cesarean section because it causes your baby to grow overly fat, especially in his upper body. It also increases your baby's risk for complications like low blood sugar at birth. A positive result on your GCT test doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that you should have the more involved glucose tolerance test (GTT) to find out. It's also a good idea to be aware of the signs of preterm labor. Contact your caregiver immediately if you notice an increase in vaginal discharge that is watery, mucus-like, or pink or blood-tinged; any vaginal bleeding or spotting; abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping or more than four contractions in an hour; an increase in pelvic pressure; or low back pain that you haven't had before.

How I'm doing: I'm doing great. I had a prenatal appointment this morning. Thankfully UCLA Medical Plaza was just letting patients and employees back in the building after a fire drill so I missed the evacuation. I did walk up 3 flights of stairs to the 4th floor so I wouldn't have to wait in a line that looked to be about 200 people long to take the elevator. The baby is doing fine. We briefly listened to her heart beat and everything sounded normal. The midwife said I'm an easy patient because my "problem list" is very short. So we had a nice and quick appointment today.

Our next appointment is scheduled for February 5th. At that time I'll have the glucose screening test mentioned above. I'll have to drink a liter or so of a very sugary orange drink and then get my blood drawn. At the same appointment I'll also get a rhogam shot which I need since my blood type is O- and Scott's is A+. This prevents my body from developing antibodies to the baby's blood if she has a positive blood type. I'll have one more shot at the end of pregnancy and one after delivery. This blood-type incompatibility doesn't present any problems for this baby but it might for future babies.

We picked out the fabric below to use as the starting point for the baby's nursery corner.
We holding out on buying anything pink until after the baby comes in case she turns out to be a he. My mom is going to work on making a window valance and a crib skirt for the baby's area and my maternal grandmother has generously offered to make the baby a quilt. If you've seen any of her quilts you know what a special gift this is for us and the baby.

Scott is pretty sure he felt the baby kick just over a week ago for the first time. She likes to play games with her dad and kick away until he puts his hand on my stomach and then she stops. I was able to see my stomach move from one of her kicks as well. But again, Dad wasn't home.

I'm continuing with prenatal yoga which I enjoy very much. I'm swimming and trying to increase that more as my midwife said it should help with some minor swelling I'm getting in my ankles and hands. We've just signed up for a CSA which means we'll be getting a box of locally grown organic produce every other week automatically. Which should challenge my culinary skills and get more fruits and vegetables into our diet.

Oh, and I got a raise! I asked for, negotiated and received a raise at work. It will take a month and a half to process and receive the first paycheck at my new salary since I'm only paid monthly--but it's coming.

23 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.

How your life's changing: If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.)

You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

How I'm doing: I'm doing fine. I've been having more aches and pains lately and trouble getting comfortable in bed. But I also haven't slept in my own bed for the last week and a half. We're in San Diego now but we're heading home shortly. Scott and I will both be back at work tomorrow, unfortunately. It's been nice to have a long break from work. Thankfully there are only a few weeks until Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a three-day weekend. Our New Year's Eve was pretty low key. We were in San Diego spending time with Scott's grandparents that are in town from Chicago. So we spent NYE with them, the Pope's, Scott's cousin Lenny, and family friends, the Lanni's and Haber's. We spent the night playing Taboo. We did stay awake until midnight though.

Pictures coming soon!