Pregosaur

Two months - back on track

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Wow so its been two months already. That went really quickly. I seriously did not wake up from a crazy haze for at least a month after she was born. That said its been another month already! We went to the doctor today for her two month check up and the dreaded shots! She took them great, it was sad for both of us. Right now she is sleeping it off, I asked the doctor about Tylenol and she said if needed. My poor baby girl was good for a few hours then all of a sudden gave me the saddest cry, I knew right away it was pain because the boobie juice wasn't even helping.

Last week was my first full week back at work and I am so exhausted. I am really trying, we have made dinner every night. Ok not a 4 course meal but a meal none-the-less. I am ready to get the weight off and work and be a great mom and wife. That's a lot of responsibilities. But I am a women right?! We are in a league of their own, I am a mom now, I just have to get it all done.

I am working really hard at maintaining a schedule, a know this little baby of mine needs some structure and I need to make it all work. Of course I had to come down with some sort of snotty, sneezing cold thing and I am not taking any medicine because I would surely love for this yucky snot to dry up I am really working hard at making more milk so I don't want to chance my milk supply. Suffering thru it. Let see how this week goes, my first paycheck back from maternity leave comes this week. WAHOO! I am a little excited about that. And tomorrows Valentines Day, I was not shy about requesting a box of chocolate. Good thing I am starting Weight Watchers this Saturday.

Well hoping to have an equally amazing week and getting more smiles!

2 month old smile

First real appt with OB

noreply@blogger.com (Eiresaur) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:38:00 +0000

I registered with the OB (well, re-registered since I went to her 5 years ago for gyno appts) two weeks ago. That was really just a paperwork thing, so today I had my first real appointment. I was picky about the time, so ended up seeing the PA instead of the OB. She's really lovely, so it was a nice visit. I knew I wouldn't have an ultrasound today, but they said we'd listen for the heartbeat, so DH came along. It took a little bit, but sure enough, we heard that sweet sound. I had some minor spotting last night, so having this scheduled appointment was a blessing. Of course the spotting was normal, but it was nice to be reassured by someone other than the internet. So far everything is going well. I'm 9w3d today, feeling pretty good, and really only craving red meat and fruit. My next appointment with them isn't for 4 weeks. They also gave me information for the trisomy 13, etc. testing that I need to have done with the perinatologist in the next few weeks. Seeing that I'll be 37 on Sunday (gulp!) I wasn't surprised that I need this testing, but when she said 34 is considered 'advanced maternal age' I was really surprised!

Back to Work

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:11:00 +0000

I head back to work on Wednesday, I have been trying to mentally prepare for the last week. So far so good. I have kept up on the laundry and house keeping. I am going to be working from home Tuesday and Thursdays so I have been practicing getting things done and working. I am ready to go back, I am just starting to have the mixed feelings that come with doing different things and leaving her. I know that this is just the next step we have to take and there is a part of me that really is ready. Its just so real that Wednesday we start our new routine. I am dropping off at daycare and hubs is picking up. Hubs will be alone with the baby for an hour to an hour and a half before I get home. This will be an adjustment for all.

My wrist is still killing me, I tried not to wear the brace for a day and that was so wrong. Some days are better than others but I still need the support. Its my carpel tunnel nerve and it hurts! I am still having issues with my left foot as well, some parts are numb and there is a ligament/tendon something that goes across my foot that must be out of whack. The more I talk to people about these left side ailments they mention that it may be epidural related. I am not sure and don't know how to really find out but that very well could be the case. There are reports of people having side effects lasting for months.

I go back to the OBgyn for Mirena in April, if it is still acting up then I have to go to a specialist. My incision is good, still red and has some indentations from the steri strips still but its healing. Some times it will get very itchy but thats the healing process.

Oh the crazy things being pregnant does to your body. At least now the stress and pressure of trying to conceive is gone. It has been such a strain for years and now we can just enjoy our baby and our little family.

6 Week Post-partum check up

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:31:00 +0000

I had my check up yesterday and am healing quite nicely. My incision is healed, it is still red but the doctor said that will go away with time. I have had a few issues that have popped up so I asked about them: my wrist, about two weeks before she was born my wrist started to bug me, nothing major, really dull ache. I know it was my carpel tunnel nerve and I heard it can act up during pregnancy. Well no one told me it would get much worse AFTER. Hmm. I am now wearing a brace on my left hand and its hard to pick up the baby with my left hand. Awesome.

I have also been experiencing some nerve issues with my foot. When I bend my left foot to the right I get a shooting pain starting from my third toe to my ankle. It is a very specific area and I noticed a few days ago that I have been itching the bottom of that toe often without really realizing.

The doctor said these types of things will get worse before they get better but that I will need to see my primary care dr. if they don't go away in another month.

I also have a completely new body and it took a little getting used to. I didn't really get a good look at all my new stretch marks until a week after birth. I cried. Yep. Being pregnant I was the most confident I have been in my body in years. From the start of our journey and with each miscarriage I gained, some hormonal and some emotional eating attributed to that and the depression cherry on top probably didn't help. So when I was really pregnant and stuck out like crazy I embraced it and showed it off. I wore tops that accentuated the positive, now I am left with a deflated balloon that was over-inflated. My skin sags, it hangs, my stretch marks are deep and dark and ALL over. I remember seeing the first one, and towards the end anything under my belly button was unseen so I didn't even know! My baby was almost ten pounds and my body stretched bad. I know I have to embrace it because its worth having her. Plus my husband is super supportive. I haven't even tried pre-maternity pants yet and I am just plain not ready. I still like that the panel hides the majority of my stretch marks and it holds the extra skin I have. The doctor said it will be a good six months of healing, its all part of the journey that I prayed and wished so hard for.

So for now, I will wear my muumuus (yes I own them and they are great), maternity pants and work on being the best mom I can be.

Our little babe, Addison.

Troubles with Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

My baby seems to be a lot like everyone elses baby when it comes to sleep. I have been doing some reading ~~(in my spare time)~~ in regards to newborns sleeping. I have to teach my baby how to sleep because when she is tired she won't sleep and then wails. This is not good for either of us. But I have read some helpful articles and have been trying some new techniques to help both of us. I was starting to get a little overwhelmed with the fact that my baby didn't sleep and I needed to hold her all the time. So once we conquer this mountain I will have a little more sanity.

I have been doing all that I wrote about before but really sticking to it. We woke up this morning and she was bright eyed so we played and then she wanted to eat so I nursed and then I noticed her little eyes getting heavy. I made a bee-line for her bedroom and started the swing and the music and nursed her some more. So far we have been in her room for 45 minutes I put her down once and ten minutes later she cried - after I nursed and held for 20ish minutes. So I picked her up and nursed a little then just held her for another 15 minutes and she was in REM sleep and I put her in the swing. Now I just wait to see how long I get! She seems to be doing good and I don't think she has moved much.
It really is amazing how her brain is wired and why babies do what they do. From what I have read you really just need to get into routines and habits so they learn. I am literally teaching her how to sleep.

Hopefully though getting her to nap during the day will result in a happier baby and a happier mommy..

We also went to the doctor for her one month check up and she weighed in at 9 lbs 1 oz, thats 13oz smaller than her birth weight so we are supplementing more with formula and are going back next week for another weight check. The dr is not super concerned over her weight but we are still keeping an eye on it.

Yay!

noreply@blogger.com (Eiresaur) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:05:00 +0000

There's a heartbeat! :)

Everything looked good, my beta level was over 57,000 and my progesterone was still good enough that I don't need supplements. I've graduated from the clinic and need to find a regular OB. There was a girl leaving as I arrived who also is moving on to an OB, so it was a happy day for the clinic!

Breastfeeding woes

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:36:00 +0000

I have a feeling this week is going to be a good one, first off my little babe and I have finally come to an agreement on the breastfeeding front. My milk is in! It took FOREVER it seems like and we were supplementing with formula. I was behind the 8 ball already because of the c-section, pain meds and a stubborn baby. Needless to say the last few weeks were really trying, she has been in my arms constantly, my nipples were raw. I felt like a feeding machine.

The past few days have been much better, I have been able to put her down for more than ten minutes. I can also hear her gulping and she will have drops of milk on the corner of her mouth at times. I am glad I stuck with it. Its the one thing I have been determined to do, beyond the health benefits I wanted that bond with her.

Each day has been getting better since my milk has been satisfying her. She is more alert and playful, I can't believe its almost been a month!

First time ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Eiresaur) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:06:00 +0000

I'm pregnant.

Holy crap!

Let me back up.

About 2.5 weeks ago we had a follow-up appointment with the urologist. All of DH's bloodwork came back good - hormone levels good, no CF. However, DH's volume was still quite low and once I told him that we don't have insurance for IVF, but do have it for IUI, we decided a plan of attack for increasing his volume. He said it was a possibility that DH has retrograde semen, when some goes back into the bladder. So, DH had another SA, which involved urine tests to see if there was sperm in the urine as well. We were waiting for those results, plus with the holidays we knew nothing would happen until after the first of the year.

In the meantime, my period was due right around Christmas. I had all my regular PMS symptoms - a wee bit of brown spotting, headaches, and cramps. But, my period never came. Since I'm charting, I knew that my longest cycle was 33 days. I decided I would wait until 34 days before I tested. No sense wasting a test since it was sure to come! Wednesday morning I took a test and in no time it was two lines. Two lines. I never got two lines before! I woke up DH and stuck the test in his face. He assumed it was negative, which was fair enough, until I pointed out that no, it's two lines. Pregnant. I called the clinic when I got into work and told her I got my first ever positive pregnancy test and I didn't know what to do since that's never happened to me before! Ha! She laughed and booked me in for a blood test on Thursday morning.

My HCG level was around 6,300 and my progesterone was high enough that I didn't need to go on that, thank goodness. I haven't heard very nice things about it. Today I am 5w2d. I haven't had very many symptoms which makes me really nervous. I've googled the crap out of that and had reassurance. I try to be really zen about things, thinking that I have no reason to believe that things aren't going okay, so I need to be at peace with that. I'm actually feeling really good physically! We don't have our ultrasound until 1/9, so I'll be on pins and needles until that happens. The only person we've told (okay, I told) was my parents. I told DH that I needed to tell my mom to switch up her prayer of increasing volume to a prayer that there's a heartbeat! Plus, I was dying to tell someone and now that I have I don't feel the need to open my front door and shout it to the world. He wants to wait to tell his parents until after the ultrasound.

This truly feels like a miracle to us. We were staring down the IVF barrel, stressed about how we could afford it. We are certainly not out of any woods just yet, but just the idea that we were able to do this on our own with his MFI is unbelievable. The scary thing is that it took 2.5 years for this to happen and if something goes wrong, how long would it take for it to happen again?

I would appreciate any prayers or positive thoughts that we have a heartbeat on the 9th. :)

Weight checks

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:59:00 +0000

Well its been a little more than a week since we got home. My mother left on Sunday and my husband is taking this week off from work. I would say it is a typical house with a newborn, I still have my PJs on and baby and daddy are still sleeping. The mornings are just an extension of the night so its typical to roll out of bed around 11. That leaves for a relatively short day to get other things accomplished but I really only have one job right now. Taking care of the baby.

We have been to the pediatricians four times since her birth because they were concerned with her weight gain. She was born at 9lb 14oz and was released from the hospital at 9lbs. That was 10% of her weight and they start getting "concerned" at 9%. Our second weight check she went down to 8lb 14oz, since being at the hospital we have been supplementing with formula because my milk did not come in right away so at that weight we bumped up the amount of formula we gave her. We had to return to the drs the next day and she went up to 9lb 4oz.

Now our pediatrician is super cool and the whole time was saying that she just wanted to keep an eye out and wasn't super worried and how 200 years ago they didn't weigh the babies that much so they didn't know if they lost of gained weight in the first week of life. For us the pediatrician is literally at the end of our street within walking distance so I didn't mind taking the walk down there.

As of yesterday she is 9lb 3 oz and we don't have to go back till January.

And I hear my call for more food so I have to wrap it up. As soon as I can I will post the birth story too.

Half way there!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Hungrysaur) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:27:00 +0000

This is just going to be short and sweet. But since its been FOREVER since I last wrote, I have to give an update......

I am 20 weeks and 4 days along! YEEESSSSSS! Every Monday I go to the hospital and get a lovely shot in my butt of Hydroxy-Progesterone to help me make it to term. We found out 2 weeks ago that we are expecting a girl. I've narrowed the name search to about 25 names! LOL!!! We are almost on Christmas Break so I promise to give more details about all the stuff going on with my pregnancy.

Update - Home from the Hospital

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:55:00 +0000

I am going to keep this short and not get into the details just yet, firstly the sitting position isn't super comfortable after the c-section. I have about 10-15 staples, (I can't see them, therefore I can't count them) but I sure do FEEL them. They are very sensitive and tender today, I have been laying and reclining a lot more recently just to get the pressure off the area.

Our baby is AMAZING.

Addison Mary was born at 8:36 am December 8, 2011 weighing in at 9 pounds 14 oz and 22.5 inches long.

Wow what an experience, what a gift for such a hard road to have crossed. We were released from the hospital yesterday, I am very thankful to not be bothered every hour. My mother is here helping which is wonderful and I am trying to breast feed so my time is split between feeding, resting and just staring at her beautiful face.

It has been a whirlwind few days, just so amazing. My brain is not functioning as normal due to lack of sleep and my sentences are full of umms lately but I would not change it for anything.

The first night home was not bad, I have been up throughout the night even when she was still in my belly so now I just have someone to take care of. My milk has also not come in fully yet so I am trying to get her on the breast by herself to eat for ten minutes, then using the SNS system to feed. Its a feeding tube you tape to yourself that has formula on the other end but makes her think she is feeding from the breast still and I have been pumping afterwards to get it to come in as quickly as possible. Needless to say its a process. More on the breast feeding frontier to come.

Well my belly is telling me its time to release the pressure and take more meds. I will post as I can and there may be a picture or two :)

And the winner of the Fairhaven Health goodies giveaway is...

noreply@blogger.com (Pregosaur) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:20:00 +0000

The winning number for our Fairhaven Health goodies giveaway was lucky number three!

Congratulations Barker's Momma! Send an email with your full name and address to pregosaur@gmail.com and let us know which two of the featured products from Fairhaven Health you'd like to receive!

Thanks to everyone for entering the giveaway!

Note to our winner: please contact us within 7 days. If we don't hear from you, we will re-draw the prize. Thank you!

Today is my Babys Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:39:00 +0000

I wanted to find time to post and 4:39am is as good of a time as any. I was woken up by feet under my rib cage and the overwhelming sense to go to the bathroom. Apparently two hours ago just wasn't enough.

My scheduled C-section is in 3 hours and 50 minutes and we are to be at the hospital in 1 hour 35 minutes. There is nothing that anyone can say that makes me grasp what is really happening. The Mr. and I spent most of yesterday just laughing and repeating WOW. This is a life changing day, a day like no other. Our wedding was exciting but not to this magnitude, graduating college was great but doesn't hold a candle to this feeling.

We have been talking and trying and seeing doctor after doctor, we have had our hearts ripped out of our chests and had the 'hopeless' feeling, for the last 18 months. To be where we are, 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant, knowing she is still kicking and healthy, its mind-blowing.

This day I become a mother to a child that I get to love and teach for the rest of my life, that will look like me and say the silly things I do, who I will comfort and play with. She is changing my life forever and I am so thrilled.

The alarm is set to go off in less than an hour now, I will get up and fix my hair, try to draw a straight line with my eye liner and throw on waterproof mascara because this 'saur is HAVING A BABY!

The next few days will be in the hospital and my mother will be staying with me for the week to help, I will be sure to post as soon as I can.

6 days until baby gets here... for real.

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:01:00 +0000

Well well, this is my 6th to last day pregnant. After all the speculation and doctors appointments and talking...

Yes, we have a scheduled c-section because our dear daughter is a chunker. She was estimated to be around 9 pounds 11 oz (~~give or~~ take a pound) This means the doctors no longer recommend attempting a vaginal delivery. Thats when my heart breaks a little and yes there were tears.

Of course I have been reading about natural drug free births and really wanted to test myself, my stamina, and proudly wear the badge of honor as I delivered my baby but thats not our story this time around.

I am disappointed and its a hard feeling to swallow because I don't want to feel disappointed when it is such a momentous time in our lives. BUT there was a a part of me excited for the labor, the waiting, the pushing, the commotion of "She's coming"

My more stable mind (which has been on hiatus for weeks now) knows the risks far out weigh the common sense and everyone wants to play it safe with our lives. So that is exactly what we are going to do.

We got the news around noon yesterday and its my nightly 3-4 am wake up time and I am still in a bubble about it.

She is really coming, and I have a date a time? What. My home that has been filled with baby stuff is actually going to be put to use... next week? It so unreal.

I am trying to take it one day at a time because my brain just cannot comprehend whats coming. Tonight was supposed to be when we signed the contract with the sitter but our first pet cat is sick again and the Mr. is pretty bummed about it so I don't want to push him tonight to hurry up and deal with the cat thing so we can deal with the sitter thing. Its a rough week for him, all these crazy emotions flying around.

We also waited until the absolute last minute to choose a pediatrician, I have an appointment with them Monday afternoon. They scheduled a prenatal visit for me, what that entails, I will soon find out.

And Monday is pretty much where my brain stops. It has yet to go beyond that date so for now, yea I will leave it at that.

Giveaway - Goodies from Fairhaven Health!

noreply@blogger.com (Pregosaur) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:01:00 +0000

We recently reviewed four awesome products sent to us by Fairhaven Health (check out Belly to Breast, their new Facebook page for pregnant/nursing moms), and they've generously given us some goodies to giveaway as well!

The Goodies
The lucky winner can select any TWO (2) of the following products:

Click on the links for more info directly from Fairhaven Health, or here and here to read our reviews:

How To Enter
You can enter up to three (3) times:

check out Fairhaven's site and tell us your favorite product
blog about this giveaway
tweet about this giveaway

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry!

The Rules

the giveaway will end Friday, December 9 at midnight (Pacific Time)
the giveaway is open to USA residents only

The winner will be randomly selected and announced in a new post the next day - so make sure you check back in!

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - THANKS ALL FOR ENTERING!

Still cooking.

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:14:00 +0000

So baby is still in there, I am 38 weeks and last week was admitted to the hospital for dehydration. Never a dull moment. Baby is good, still cooking, she is measuring 41 weeks and we go for an ultrasound tomorrow and we will ultimately have to make the decision of what is best for both of us and getting her out.

I have cried a few tears about my natural birth that is turning into a medical procedure. But I can't control it, as long as she is healthy.

This weekend is turning into a "just us" weekend, this may be the last few days that our family will be two so I want to cherish this time.

For now I am trying to work while working thru contractions and this dizzy spell I have had all day.

Getting very anxious to meet our little girl.

Review: Tea-for-Two Pregnancy Tea and Healthy Mom, Happy Baby Yoga DVD!

noreply@blogger.com (Pregosaur) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:36:00 +0000

At Pregosaur, we're big fans of natural products for TTC, pregnancy, and beyond - and one of our favorite companies, Fairhaven Health, generously sent Jerseysaur four of their amazing products to review.

We previously posted reviews of two products and the second two are below...and later this week, there just might be a giveaway!

Tea-for-Two Pregnancy Tea

This tea is a loose leaf tea blend especially designed for pregnant women, and I love that it's made with all-natural organic ingredients! These are:

Strawberry leaf: nourishes and tones the uterus and provides key vitamins, minerals, and alkaloids that promote a healthful pregnancy
Alfalfa: high in nutritive vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin K. which is critical to a healthy pregnancy
Dandelion leaf: helps to eliminate excess water from the system to ease fluid retention, excellent source of potassium, calcium and iron
Oatstraw: calms the nervous system to alleviate stress and tension
Ginger root: assuages nausea and eases morning sickness symptoms
Lemon verbena: provides refreshing, zesty flavor.

You brew the tea by steeping one teaspoon of the blend in hot water for five minutes. It has a very light, mild flavor, and if you prefer a sweeter tea, you could add a little honey.

Healthy Mom, Happy Baby Yoga DVD

I loved this DVD! Yoga is highly recommended as a form of exercise for pregnant women, and the exercises were gentle and easy to follow. I also liked the ongoing references to the baby (since exercise involves both of you when you're pregnant!).

I felt so relaxed at the end of the session, and so connected with my body and my baby. I like knowing that my flexibility and strength are improving, and that helps me have the healthiest pregnancy I can!

Stay tuned for the giveaway!

Surfacing....

noreply@blogger.com (Eiresaur) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:41:00 +0000

It's been a busy few months around the Eiresaur house. We moved to a new country, I started working, and we finally got health insurance! Woohoo! With all of these new things, unfortunately, one of them is not a pregnancy. With our newly acquired health insurance we were finally able to start fertility treatments in October. Samples of all sorts were given and from the outset the doctor seemed to think we'd be successful doing an IUI. Well...

The swabs came back positive for a bacterial infection - DH and I were put on antibiotics.
I had an HSG. - It came back inconclusive because the muscles around my tubes contracted so badly that it didn't show pooling (aka blockage), nor did it go all the way through the end of the tube. - If needed again, I'll be taking stronger drugs!
The blood came back showing I was in grey area for immunity to German Measles. - I was revaccinated and we're currently in the 4 week waiting period.
DH's semen sample tested positive for E.coli. That's right, E.coli. - DH put on more antibiotics.
DH's semen analyses (he's had two) are not great. The second was worst than the first. In the second one the volume was so low they wouldn't have done an IUI with it. - Referred to a urologist. - Nurse pronounces that it's okay, because we can still do IVF with ICSI! Dollar signs are swirling around my head while I hear this.
Urologist discovers DH only has one vas deferens and he's missing his left kidney. - Apparently this shouldn't affect his fertility (stuff is actually coming through per semen sample), but it's a little freaky nonetheless.
Next up is me being retested for the bacterial infection and retested for the German measles immunity. DH had blood drawn at the urologist and he has a follow-up appointment next in 3 weeks. He also needs to do another S/A to be the 'tie-breaker'.

My dream is that DH's volume miraculously goes up. Our insurance covers IUI, but not IVF. We'd have to do some serious shifting around to make that happen.

I've been hesitant to post all of this, mainly because this is a blog for pregnant people, not infertiles. Each month I hope that I can actually come on here to announce good news, but who knows if that will ever happen. :(

1.5 cm dilated

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:14:00 +0000

I have been experiencing contractions that started on Saturday, those were painless contractions and I was so unsure of what they really were. I had my weekly doctors appointment yesterday and told her that they are getting worse, they are keeping me up at night and getting tighter. She did a cervix check and I am 1.5 cm dilated and 25% effaced, things are moving in the right direction. I have vomited everything I have eaten yesterday, I am starting to get hungry but then I get so nauseous and start burping like crazy. Things seem to be happening.

I can't believe it.

We found a sitter!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:03:00 +0000

Wow, days are flying so fast I can't keep up. First good news, we have been interviewing sitters for the past few weeks and I think we found one!! What a journey that has been, I really feel like it was dating again, except for my unborn child. My husband and I were looking for a stay at home mom (SAHM) to care for her as we enjoy the home atmosphere, the more individualized attention and interaction with other age children. So we met with one woman last night and she met all of our needs, she is a registered daycare provider, she is eco-friendly, loves to give the kids new types of food and has tons of learning activities all around the house. She will work very closely with us and I felt safe with her. We just clicked. I got her name on a Mommies forum (check online to see if they have one near you) and she was everything we have been looking for.

In other news Thursday - my doctor day - went well, I have gained 10 pounds in the pregnancy thus far which is great. (Keep in mind I had two miscarriages and my weight fluctuated with each one, so I am not an emaciated looking preggo) Baby is good, she is still measuring 3 weeks ahead and this doctor seemed so unconcerned by her size she pushed back the ultra sound to December 1. At that point we will have a better understanding of whats going on with her, that is unless she decides to show up early.

We are working on getting her room finished and I am DETERMINED to pack our hospital bags this weekend. I keep saying it but not doing it.

Our due date is exactly one month from today!! HOLY COW!

C-Section talk - Wash your mouth out!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:36:00 +0000

I can't believe its Friday again, its the wee hours of the morning and my bed and I are not getting along. We have consistently been getting home around 9pm all week, so my house is a disaster and I am just worn out but I can't bear to lay down. My legs are restless, my stomach is in the way and I cannot find a comfortable position.

The weekly checkup was yesterday morning, it was fine. I met with a doctor I normally don't. They recommend that in the event you get whoever is on call when you are about to deliver. It was a He. Really no biggie at this point, it seems like everyone has seen me pants off lately but he just didn't know me, asked questions all about my gestational diabetes and as he was walking out he says something about having a big baby and that it looks like we are heading towards a c-section.

Mmmm. Excuse me. What was that, I must have misheard you. Of course I smile and nod, holding back my tears and as soon as the door closes I lower my head and just start crying. My baby is growing quickly, I know she is big for her gestational age, but really is this what everyone is thinking and you were just the first to say it. Now I have really just surrendered myself to the fact that pregnancy is like nothing else you can expect. It doesn't happen on the first try, it doesn't seem to go to the way you think and you sure as hell can't plan anything to do with it. Knowing those things I have not put together a "birth plan" per say but I had an idea of how I would like the birth to be and a c-section was never really in that picture. I would like to labor at home for as long as I can, I would like to see how my body acts, if I want an epidural I will get one, if I feel like I can do it on my own I want to. Now you are telling me to skip steps 1 and 2 and go straight to 3.

I clearly didn't like that answer.

I will be talking to the next doctor next Thursday to hopefully get a different answer. I will go for an ultrasound in a week and a half-ish to check her size again and from there we will have a better understanding of what the next step is. The Mr. thinks they may take me then but at this point who knows.

Cooking a big baby

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:09:00 +0000

I am 33 weeks and 5 days, I am so thankful to have made it to this point with all the bumps along the way. I had my bi-weekly check up yesterday and the doctor measured me again. I am measuring at 36 cms which is a few weeks ahead of schedule. They noticed this about a month ago and sent us for the ultrasound then. The tech estimated her at 4.5 pounds, so I can only imagine she is larger than that now. The doctor suggested I start coming in once a week and we will keep an eye on her size. They also are concerned about the gestational diabetes playing a factor in her becoming a plump baby.

So pretty much at this point 1. Dr said if I go into labor they are not going to stop me and 2. depending on her size we may have to induce. Looking at a calendar if I am measuring 36 weeks now and ideally they would like me to get to 37 weeks according to my due date that brings us to November 20th. Thats about 4 weeks away. I can't even wrap my mind around it. The Mr. has been working late and we haven't even really had a chance to talk about it being I am asleep by the time he gets home and the mornings aren't time for serious conversation.

I feel like there is so much to do, I am excited and nervous and anxious at the same time. Her room is halfway there, we don't have a sitter lined up and if I have to be induced I most likely will also have an epidural. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I was just looking forward to at least trying to be as natural as possible.

My Gestational diabetes has been good, I submitted my weekly numbers to the counselor and she was pretty happy with them which is great. Thats another week I won't have to be on pills or shots.

I can definitely tell that she is running out of room, her movements are at some points sharp and I can feel every one of them.

But we are excited and its 9 pm which has pretty much been my bedtime and I am so sleepy. At least it is supposed to be a quiet weekend.

We are getting down to the wire

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:57:00 +0000

We are getting down to the wire and I am starting to feel the pressure. No not pressure - down there - but pressure to get things done and prepared. We had my second shower yesterday, my mother threw it and this is her first grandbaby so she went all out let me tell you! Here is a picture of the cake, EEK I love it!

The quality is not the greatest, I uploaded so quick to Shutterfly this morning just so I could have some to show. I have done 0 retouching so maybe I will show more later but AWW isn't it so cute! Special thanks to the Pink Cake Box in Denville NJ for an amazing job.

I am feeling better about the amount of stuff we have for her arrival, we are very fortunate to have such loving friends and family. This weekend was the last time I will see my parents before she makes an appearance. WOW. We talked about phone trees and making sure I give them directions to the hospital. And here I sit not thinking about work (which is in the busiest quarter of the year) but rather about my baby. I have to learn to use my time for both.

I did not have a Dr.s appointment last week, which means I should have one this week. And we start baby classes on Wednesday. The weeks are jumbling together and I am starting to freak.

Sleep is sometimes good sometimes not. Last night I woke up a bunch due to the round ligament pains again, I have not had them in a while and she must have grown a little last night because boy did I feel them.

All in all, I know my body is getting ready and I know she is growing like she should. All wonderful things. I am getting myself mentally prepared for what is going to happen to me here soon. My mind and body are on two different wavelengths - my mind is FREAKING OUT and my body just says "I got this". I need both to be in sync. I don't think I have discussed this yet but everyone asks the question about getting pain meds, or an epidural. Pretty much its been the one question since week 20 that everyone asks. My answer has been the same since then; if I want it I will take it but if I feel like I can handle it I will. I am fully aware it is no walk in the park, it is called labor for a reason. I just know there are millions of women for the last millions of years who have done this time and time again and I can too.

32 weeks - 8 months officially

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Well well we read our latest week in the What to Expect book and we have entered our 8th month. And boy can I feel it. I am so beat halfway thru the day and I feel like I am carrying an extra hundred pounds. My stomach is expanding at such a rate my skin can't keep up, my stretchmarks have stretchmarks. I thought I was good there for a little bit but then BAM, even more and they hurt, itch and seem like they I have broken blood vessels from them. It really is awful but the Mr. is good about telling me he doesn't care about them and that I can use these to make baby girl remember where she came from.

We had our first shower yesterday, it was so very exciting. I could not believe it was for me! It was very quiet and simple, we received some books, clothes, bath items and a car seat base. Very helpful in starting our baby collection. Our house is filling up with her stuff so quickly.

I am secretly checking our registry to see if anyone purchases the chair we want. Fingers crossed.

I feel pregnant, I feel big and pregnant. Its 2pm and I could use a nap or a large pot of coffee. Neither of which I can get right now. Bummer.

Sleeping is still difficult, I get kicked and I am up, her head rests on my bladder and I am up, I try to switch which side I am sleeping on and that is a task. I was so happy to get 6 straight hours Saturday night. Work is harder to stay focused on because I am so damn tired.

A few more weeks till we meet our baby girl. We are still interviewing sitters and I am at the doctor every other week so the days just fly by.

Gestational Diabetes Update & Ultrasound Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Jerseysaur) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:54:00 +0000

I will first update with the Gestational Diabetes as I went to the diabetes clinic on Friday. I met with a very friendly nurse who gave me my meter for testing and explained that we are going to try to combat this with diet first and see how that goes. Pretty much what is going on is my body is not creating enough insulin to fight off the sugar in my blood, that can be bad because baby will be receiving more sugar than needed and can lead to a larger birth weight baby.

So I started pricking my finger and testing my blood Friday morning, I have to test four times a day. First thing when I wake up, and an hour after each meal. My pattern so far has been to have a higher number after breakfast than I do the rest of the day. I have also noticed that the more exercising I do (i.e. walking all around the Bills/ Eagles football game yesterday) the lower my numbers are. It is quite interesting to see how what you eat and what you do directly effect your body.

As for now they are having me control this by diet, no extra suggary stuff, careful with the carbs, under 30g a meal and try not to over-do it. All of which can be done, plus this will just make me get in the habit of what I am eating so after she is hear and Weight Watchers calls my name I will be pretty used to it. I have not been tracking my food in a journal just yet but have made notations next to my numbers if they have been high. I am supposed to have a blood sugar number of under 130 an hour after every meal, Saturday morning I had a bowl of Cheerios and an hour later it was at 132. So I know I have to limit my intake of milk early in the day. Bummer because cereal and milk have been my staple this whole pregnancy but I will do whatever it takes.

My last appointment the doctor measured me and told me I was measuring about 3 weeks ahead and sent me for an ultrasound this morning to get a weight on the baby. Our little pumpkin measured at 33 weeks and 4 days (just about 3 weeks ahead) and 4.5 pounds. That is crazy. They do not change the due date as it helps to keep track of the lung development (learn something new everyday!) but they will keep an eye on us to make sure she doesn't get too big. This appointment and this news sent me into an anxiety frenzy. I feel not ready yet, work is getting crazy busy as the fourth quarter is our insane time. I work in a health insurance brokerage so our busiest time is right around my due date. She is head down already which is great and they measured my cervix, 5.25 cm which is also very wonderful. We confirmed she is a she and got to listen to her heartbeat again.

I have perma-grin on my face lately as we were able to see her little face in 3D and I am just reassured that everything is going okay. Below is our baby girl, aww! I know right!