An Early Spring But What About Baby?

February... our (potential) last month without kids. Happy birthday to my dad yesterday! :) Btw Punxsutawney Phil apparently did NOT see his shadow, thus an early spring. (Incidentally, did you know that they really do have a festival just like in the movie "Groundhog's Day?" Look up videos of it; they must've captured it 100% accurately in the movie!)

Guess I should say something about it being the Superbowl today... umm, I'm just glad The Bachelor is on twice this week to make up for all this football ;) I'm just not into either team (Carsen, for historical purposes, it was the Ravens 34-31 over the 49ers). Seriously though, they need a better halftime show; Matt and I decided it either should be an athletic competition or (even better!) an animal athletic competition (like the dog distance jumping we saw at the state fair).

35 Weeks: baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (like a honeydew melon). (Umm, I disagree with this so far) Because it's so snug in the womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Excuse the stomach shots but it's really crazy to see him moving. It's a little uncomfortable but it's pretty cool/weird. He had the hiccups but then also started squirming around. The angle is as I see it looking down, best I can do. 

So far, I wouldn't say Carsen has slowed down his movements. Some days, he's really active, then he'll go for a few days being more subtle. But he can really kick. It hurts when he keeps kicking me in that sore area below my pecs. What's funny is that now we can distinguish a foot sometimes, usually in my side under my ribs, and if we tickle it, he'll pull it back in or sometimes kick. Ahhh.

Wow, I can't believe how little time we have until he's here! Just five weeks til his due date (March 10). That means that he'll be considered full term in just three weeks (Feb. 24). I'm just hoping we make it past Feb. 18 because then he'll be my lil Pisces baby, though I would like to be sure he's healthy and not too early.

Since we're now in the month of the first picks, let's look at our Baby Pick'Em again! Guesses of birth day ranged from Feb. 25 to March 23 (ummmmm, 13 days late?! No!) For either gender, the chart below in green shows the ranges. Most are guessing we'll be several days late.

This next chart shows the same data but also whether or not they also guessed the sex correctly (blue is boy). THREE people picked a boy on March 14... hmm, we'll have to go to the weight tie-breaker if that's the case.

I'm really surprised that so many chose days after our due date. I think the statistics are that babies are generally born in the two weeks before their due date. But I won't complain if he's a day or so late.

Yesterday was our childbirth class. Since I've done so much reading, it was mainly review for me but Matt learned a lot so it's worth it. The labor nurses who taught the course tried to make it fun by giving us prizes for asking questions and for volunteering to demonstrate. They packed the six hours pretty full and I'm not really sure what else I'd want them to cover, though maybe some sort of overview of the first few months of development after birth. As it was, they discussed the process of labor, (briefly) laboring positions, options for pain management, the McMoyler method for breathing (and a little practice), post delivery processes, initial breastfeeding, infant CPR (and some practice), how to put on a diaper and how to swaddle. Matt's pretty good at swaddling. I thought they'd do more of having us practice positions together (like you see in movies); I guess you just do what feels better at that time.

Gotta be honest that I still want to do it without pain medication. And as for breathing, I think I'll try some of their timed/rhythmic breathing, but during one stage, they suggest a "hee haw;" it didn't even feel comfortable, totally weird and forced, think I'll opt out of that. Most of the labor process just made me feel confident and I thought "ya know what, when it's time, I'm excited to experience it all," until they talked about the transition period (when the cervix opens from 8cm to 10cm, baby descends more into pelvis and the next stage of labor begins- pushing), which is supposed to be the most intense and painful period. Yikes. Just hearing about it makes me nervous. Let's hope it goes quickly then.

The highlight of the class, which we didn't know about until it was almost time, was that they brought in a couple that took the course last month and their 6-day old baby. They demonstrated giving her a sponge bath. She was so little!! They said she was 8lbs, born one day after her due date. I felt a little relieved actually because they kept showing us this "newborn" doll and he looked huge. Seeing the real thing made me feel a lot better. And she was so precious looking! I'm super excited now. I can't wait to hold my lil Carsen.

I'm really curious about the whole "love at first sight" concept, which I keep reading is a birthing myth to some degree, at least it doesn't happen to every parent. Some mothers don't feel in love with their babies for days, weeks or even months. Well dang. That was the part I'm looking forward to most. But I envision that I'll love him from first sight. Matt and I were talking about how strange it is now because we have some feelings for him, but we don't know him, we haven't "spent time" with him, so do we really "love" him yet? So far, he's more of a concept, a vision, a dream. Anyhow.

I did learn about lightening, or when he'll drop into my pelvis. Somehow I did not think about this, but now I'm looking forward to it. Apparently with a first pregnancy, it can happen weeks early. Now, I get that it'll make it more uncomfortable on my bladder; I can't imagine having to pee more often than I already do. But it'll be so nice (I imagine) to not have my stomach so smashed = easier to breathe, maybe less heartburn, maybe able to eat a little more.

Later last week, I actually had a few days in which I noticed my appetite increase. Unfortunately I ignored my hunger initially so eventually I felt so hungry I could've puked, or eaten anything. It was intense. Friday I actually could eat regular amounts of food; it was nice.

I wouldn't really say I've had many cravings during this pregnancy. Here are the things I remember wanting (never together, and usually only for a few days then I was over them): refried bean & cheese burritos, raspberry scones, donuts (plain glazed or chocolate glazed), almond roca (xmas), sour patch kids, Jamba Juice, fruit, yogurt and yogurt parfaits, toasted cheesy bagels with cream cheese. No weird combinations.

How adorable is Matt; this is the lunch he made me last week

This week, we start seeing our O.B. once a week until birth, including a full exam so we'll start seeing how my cervix is dilating (how open; 10cm is pushing time) and its percentage of effacement (how thick; it thins out for birth). I'll keep y'all posted.

Naptime for Jack and Ellie

Cute pic of Parker showing me where the baby is
(Parker was just a baby bump that size during my wedding!)