At 36 weeks pregnant, I can officially begin my one-month countdown. I'm so excited to meet this little guy, but at the same time, I will miss being pregnant. I have thoroughly enjoyed these past 8 months. I love (almost) everything about being pregnant. I love how nice and round my belly is. I love that he is with me all day everyday and that I can feel his every move. I love it when people squeal with excitement over my growing belly (I even like it when people touch my belly). I love when complete strangers smile kindly at me and ask me about my due date and whether it's a boy or a girl. I especially love it when strangers tell me that I'm "all belly." I love shopping for all these new baby things. I love how comfy my maternity jeans are. I love reading about each new exciting development in his growing body. And I love the excitement and anticipation of his upcoming birth in just a few short weeks. I will definitely miss being pregnant (and because of this, I'm predicting that I will succumb to postpartum depression), but I will absolutely love being able to finally meet him, hold him in my arms, and look upon his tiny, cute face. I'm especially excited for John because he'll finally be able to bond with him.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Maternity Shapewear
36 Weeks
What I'm Wearing:
Dress from Banana Republic
Penguin earrings from HSN
Necklace and headband from Target
Vintage brooch
Sandals from American Eagle
I love my new penguin earrings!
A few months ago, I decided to invest in a pair of maternity shapewear to wear under my maxi dresses. I was always a fan of Spanx before so when I found out there was a maternity version, I went to the Motherhood Maternity outlet in St. Augustine to pick up a pair. Now, they aren't the Spanx brand, but I think they work just as well. AND they're significantly cheaper. The pair I purchased was $12 (originally $16.98 at the retail store), while Spanx are about double the price at $32.
$16.98
www.motherhood.com
$32
www.spanx.com
I would normally want the name brand version, but for something I was only going to wear under certain dresses for a few months, I decided the $12 version was good enough. They still serve their purpose - they help smooth out any bumps or ridges. At first, I was worried that they would feel too tight, but they're so easy to slip on, so comfortable, and I don't even notice that I'm wearing them. They're also super stretchy and grow with your belly. I bought a size small.
Below are some pictures so you can compare. Before pictures are on the left, after pictures on the right.
I think maternity shapewear is a great investment. Although pregnancy is absolutely beautiful, there may be times where you won't feel exactly like yourself because of all the changes your body goes through. I think this shapewear helps you feel more confident with your newfound curves and it also helps showcase your beautiful growing belly.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Baby Bump and Braxton Hicks?: Week 35
35 Weeks
What I'm Wearing:
Joe's Chelsea Secret Fit Belly Skinny Leg Maternity Jeans from A Pea in the Pod
Sandals from American Eagle
I absolutely love this sweater. The billowy effect is perfect for my growing belly :)
Lately, the Bit has been kicking like CRAZY. And boy, are they super hard kicks at week 35. Sometimes John will touch my belly and he can't believe how hard it is. They're not painful, but they're not exactly comfortable either. So this got me thinking about Braxton Hicks contractions. Could this be it? I've read so many message boards about it and have gotten feedback from friends, but it seems these contractions feel different to everyone. Some people tell me they feel like cramps, others say their stomach just feels rock hard and then releases, and a few people have told me that they thought it was simply the baby kicking really hard and then they realized they were Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm not sure what to think, but I can tell you that I've never felt my belly feel like this before. It feels like the baby is practically kneeing me in the stomach. Again, not painful per se, but it shocks me every time.
With only a few weeks to go before my due date, I'm often wondering if I'll even know if I'm in labor. I mean, what do contractions feel like? Will it be obvious when my water breaks? My doctor told me that sometimes it can be a small leak or it could be a gallon (?!) Because this is my first pregnancy, I really don't know what to expect. I keep reading about it and asking friends and family and everyone always tells me the same thing: "Trust me, you'll KNOW!" But what does this mean?! My doctor said that if I start to feel even slightly weird, simply call the office. They'll be able to tell me whether I should go to the hospital. I just have this crazy feeling that I won't even know I'm in labor. I have a tendency to just brush things off, especially when it comes to feeling sick. I always feel like I can rough it out, so I hope I don't mistake actual labor for stomach pains.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Going Into Labor On Labor Day
This actually happened to my friend Kelsey. She joked about going into labor on Labor Day and lo and behold, she did. She is now a proud mom to son Nolen.
John and I Skyped with her and her husband Scott the other night and she regaled us with her terrifying labor story, which consisted of several failed epidurals and an emergency c-section. So today at my appointment, I asked my doctor about the possibility of the epidural not working. I told him about Kelsey and how the epidural only worked on one side of her body. He said it is possible, but it's very rare. So rare, in fact, that I shouldn't even be worrying about it at all. Well, that makes me feel somewhat better, but let's face it - I'm a first-time mom, I have no idea what to expect, and I tend to rely on stories that I hear from my family, friends, and the Internet. Although every woman's story is different, there is one piece of advice that is consistent - go into labor completely open-minded and be prepared for your birthing experience to be different from what you had originally planned. Ok, I can do that. And regardless of how crazy or painful or eventful my labor may be, in the end I'm getting a beautiful baby boy - I'm so excited!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Glucose Tolerance Test
Back in week 28, I had to take the one-hour glucose tolerance test, which helps determine your risk for gestational diabetes. I had to drink this super sugary orange flavored "juice" and then wait an hour for my blood to be drawn. I was warned several times about this drink - that it was too sweet, it tasted disgusting, etc. I actually didn't think it was that bad. To me, it just tasted like a sweeter version of Gatorade. Sure, it wouldn't be my drink of choice, but it wasn't unbearable.
I've had a couple people tell me that they didn't eat anything before their appointment. Well, my appointment was at noon and there was no way I was going all morning without having something to eat. So I had my usual breakfast of cereal, which I didn't think was too bad. I felt confident that this would not affect my test results.
Well, I failed.
I scored a 132, and the cutoff point is 130. So anyone who scores above a 130 must then take the THREE-HOUR glucose tolerance test. I seriously thought I could get out of doing this. I put it off for a few weeks and tried to reason with my doctor that my results were so insignificant that it would be a waste of time. But he ordered me to take it, reassuring me that the results would more than likely be fine. He also said a lot of smaller women tend to fail these tests because our bodies are just not use to the sugar.
So fast-forward to week 33. I went to Quest Diagnostics to take my 3-hour test. I went prepared - I had my iPhone and iPad fully charged and loaded with movies and magazines. Here's generally how the test works: you have to fast (which honestly is such a difficult thing for a pregnant woman to do. I still can't believe I had to go all morning without eating anything) and then they draw your blood four times. The first time is the "fasting" blood and then you have to drink the glucose, which had twice as much sugar as the first one. I was told I had five minutes to down it and I thought, "Who would need the full five minutes?" It took me maybe about a minute to drink the whole bottle. Admittedly, it was a bit difficult because it was so sweet and I had to pause a few times to take a break, but again, not unbearable. From there, they draw your blood every hour for three hours. In the meantime, you wait. And wait. And wait. I thought maybe I could leave and come back , but they said I had to stay so they could "monitor" me. Here's how my day went:
7:45 am - my appointment time.
7:49 am - my arrival time (oops).
7:55 am - I was called back so they could process my insurance info. Afterwards, I was told to go to room 1. There were about seven numbered rooms, which is where they draw all the blood.
8:20 am - my "fasting" blood was drawn. Yes, I waited nearly half an hour for this. Surprisingly, there were A LOT of people there. I'm glad I had an appointment. They actually do walk-ins and I can't imagine how long that would have taken.
Getting your blood drawn is no bueno.
8:24 am - I drank the glucose.
8:25 am - I finished the drink and was told to sit in the tiniest waiting room ever until 9:25 am, then 10:25, and finally 11:25. This was totally awkward for me. The waiting room was about the size of a bathroom with one recliner, one chair, and a really tiny couch that could fit two people comfortably. Of course, every seat was taken, but the two ladies on the couch made room for me to squeeze in the middle. Oh, and we're all pregnant by the way.
8:26 am-9:29 am - my first hour consisted of checking my email, browsing the Internet, texting, and reading a magazine.
9:30 am - my "one-hour" blood is drawn. I was a little late because I wasn't sure if they were going to call me back or if I was supposed to just go back there myself. Turns out, I was supposed to just head on back.
9:31 am-10:24 am - my second hour consisted of watching Harry Potter on my iPad and falling asleep.
10:25 am - my "two-hour" blood is drawn.
10:35 am - the last pregnant lady leaves the waiting room and I'm left all alone.
10:38 am - the peaceful solitude is short-lived. Another mom walks in with an adorable daughter, but an obnoxious son who won't sit still or be quiet.
10:41 am - I checked my email and found that the new Orla Kiely fall collection had arrived - yay!
10:44 am - the daughter is not so cute anymore. She begins screaming at the top of her lungs and won't stop.
11:08 am - found out that Anthropologie was having an additional 25% off sale and begin shopping online.
11:15 am - I run into one of my Mom's acquaintances and she begins asking me all kinds of questions about the baby and telling me that having a boy first is "lucky."
11:20 am - I resume shopping online.
11:25 am - my "three-hour" blood is drawn. I was finally free!
So fast-foward again to week 34. I had another appointment where my doctor informs me that I passed the test with flying colors (see? I knew I would). So here's the moral of this story - if there's anything you can do to avoid this test, do it! Don't eat anything sugary before your one-hour test. In fact, don't eat anything at all! I should have listened to my friends who fasted first.
After my appointment, I went to McDonald's to have a McFlurry and a Happy Meal (hey, I deserved it! I fasted all night and morning.)
Friday, September 7, 2012
Baby Bump: Week 34
34 Weeks
What I'm Wearing:
Necklace by Tara Jarmon for Target
Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you enjoy your weekend!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Two Down, One To Go
I've been fortunate to have spent the last several months being pregnant with my two other pregnant friends, Katherine and Kelsey. Katherine had her baby, Liam, a couple weeks ago. He is simply adorable and cuddly. We all had dinner together the other night, which was Liam's first outing.
Me, Richelle, Katherine, and Liam
34 Weeks
What I'm Wearing:
Fedora from Banana Republic
Necklace from J. Crew
After Liam's birth, I began waiting excitedly for Kelsey's baby to be born. Her due date was later this month, so I wasn't expecting anything quite yet. BUT she gave birth to her baby boy yesterday morning. Welcome to the world, Nolen!
So with all these babies around me, I started to think a lot about my own baby and his upcoming birth. For some reason, I imagine he will arrive right on time, October 14, punctual and prompt, just like his mama. But of course, we all know that there's no way to predict the exact day a baby will be born - when's he's ready, he's ready. But I honestly can't imagine him arriving three weeks early like Nolen. That was a shock for me and it's not even my baby. So I started to think - what if Lil Bit came three weeks early? I only have six weeks left, so that would mean he'd arrive in a mere three weeks.
Three weeks?!
I'm not quite ready for that yet! I started to panic and think of all the things I hadn't even done yet - we still need to get the carseat installed, I haven't taken a hospital tour yet, our birthing class is at the end of the month, and, oh yeah, WE STILL NEED TO PICK A NAME! John is as calm and cool as a cucumber. He certainly balances out my high-strung personality (I really hope the baby feeds off his energy and not mine!) He has no doubt that we'll get everything done before the baby is born and I trust that he is right. But still, it's overwhelming to think about. I had another doctor's appointment today and I asked him about the likelihood of delivering early. Of course, he gave me the standard "every woman is different" but he did say that women are more likely to deliver after week 38.
So here I am at week 34 - anxious, nervous, terrified, excited, and thrilled all at the same time.
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