(I wrote this 3 days ago but never got around to publishing it. Spoiler alert-the peanut arrived yesterday!! Details to come.)
I'm just over a week overdue and still waiting. We've been stepping up our efforts to get this boy out-evening primrose oil, red raspberry leaf tea, long walks, castor oil packs, and acupressure. Yesterday I had my first membrane sweep-I was 70% effaced and 3 cm dilated which felt encouraging. I went to sleep last night expecting to be in labor by morning but nada. I looked back at my notes from the bean's pregnancy and realized that I was at about the same dilation, although almost a week further along, when I had my first membrane sweep with the bean and went into labor that night. I know it must be soon. The contractions I've been having have become more frequent and more intense over the last few days and I keep thinking it must be any minute now.
This evening I'll have an acupuncture treatment and, if I'm still pregnant by Friday, a second non-stress test along with another membrane sweep.
I'm trying so hard to enjoy these last few moments of being pregnant (ever!), but its so hard when there's all this pressure to get him out before the deadline.
I'm also feeling so guilty about not being able to pick up the bean, or to even bend over to help her get her shoes on or reach something off the floor. I keep promising her that once the baby comes, I'll be able to do these things again, but then I think oh after I heal and then after I recover from all that sleep deprivation of having a newborn and oh yeah, when the baby isn't sleeping in my arms or nursing. I know it will be an adjustment but we'll figure all this stuff out eventually. I'm just already feeling badly that I may break some of these promises.
And I just can't end on that negative note because, oh my goodness are we all excited to have a new little baby in the house. To squeeze that little peanut and kiss baby toes and fingers and watch him sleep and yawn-yay! The bean has already professed her love for this little guy and has so many plans for what she plans to teach him and what they'll play together and how much she can't wait to help change diapers. Also, the upside to being so overdue? We are so ready! We are working through the things on the to do list that I thought we wouldn't have time to finish. So yay for that! (And please come soon, peanut!)
40 weeks
{
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
}
The peanut's due date was two days ago and it seems that, like his sister, he's going to make us wait. I remember with the bean how, over those two weeks between her due date and her birth, we became more and more desperate to get labor started and avoid an induction. I am really trying this time to be calm and patient and trust that the peanut will come in his own good time, but of course every day feels like an eternity when you're waiting for an overdue baby.
I've been feeling for days (weeks?) that the peanut could come any day. I've been having lots of "practice" contractions that sometimes become regular and painful and then fade away for a few hours. Its led to a few false alarms for us! Part of the anxiety, I'm sure, is the conventional wisdom that second babies come early. We were half expecting this peanut to arrive before his due date, so we've been on edge for weeks already now.
And, of course, the whole "being patient and letting the peanut come in his own time" thing will likely only last a couple more days before we start all of the natural labor induction techniques that we can think of. We have been cleared to birth at the birth center, but we are not allowed to birth there after 42 weeks, so there's some urgency here. Of course, it will all work out one way or the other. I can't wait to see what day the peanut chooses for his birthday!
I've been feeling for days (weeks?) that the peanut could come any day. I've been having lots of "practice" contractions that sometimes become regular and painful and then fade away for a few hours. Its led to a few false alarms for us! Part of the anxiety, I'm sure, is the conventional wisdom that second babies come early. We were half expecting this peanut to arrive before his due date, so we've been on edge for weeks already now.
And, of course, the whole "being patient and letting the peanut come in his own time" thing will likely only last a couple more days before we start all of the natural labor induction techniques that we can think of. We have been cleared to birth at the birth center, but we are not allowed to birth there after 42 weeks, so there's some urgency here. Of course, it will all work out one way or the other. I can't wait to see what day the peanut chooses for his birthday!
Belly belly belly
{
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
}
I know I've been remiss in posting belly pics, so I'm here to overwhelm you with a large number of pictures of me. I also wanted to share the few maternity clothes that I've made, so I'm combining that here.
About maternity clothes--aren't they horrible? I walked around for most of my pregnancy with the bean feeling frumpy in clothes that were way too big and unflattering. I wanted to save money by buying clothes that would last me throughtout my pregnancy but they were all too big in my second trimester and you know what I've decided this time around? There's nothing that looks flattering during the third trimester. At least on me. So this time around I bought just a few more fitted things that did not look like tents on me and sewed myself a couple things to fill in.
I bought the pattern for this top after seeing some really cute maternity versions online. I decided to make a nursing top as a test in a size larger than I would normally wear.
This got me through the beginning of the second tri, but I'm also hoping the extra room will serve me well while I'm sporting some baby weight this winter. These pictures are at 18 weeks.
The pattern for this dress is from Handmade Beginnings and is covering a 27 week belly. I added a ruffle at the bottom because the hem started to feel immodest as the belly grew. This dress also has a nursing panel, but there's so much fabric gathered at the front that I'm not sure I'll wear it much postpartem without taking it completely apart and reworking the skirt, which probably won't happen if I'm being honest.
I found this shirt on clearance and bought it a size bigger than I would normally wear. I just added a row of elastic under the bust and it was a super comfy top for the second trimester, but it didn't take long before my belly started peeking out of the bottom, as you can see in this shot from 29 weeks.
And here's the maternity version of the nursing top I made. This top is a whopping three sizes larger than I would normally wear plus I added a few extra inches on the sides and to the front length to accomodate a belly.
At first I thought it was too big, but I underestimated how big the belly could get, as you can see here at 32 weeks.
And finally, nothing homemade, but this is my favorite maternity top today at 39 weeks. I really can't imagine getting any bigger--baby boy, please come soon!
About maternity clothes--aren't they horrible? I walked around for most of my pregnancy with the bean feeling frumpy in clothes that were way too big and unflattering. I wanted to save money by buying clothes that would last me throughtout my pregnancy but they were all too big in my second trimester and you know what I've decided this time around? There's nothing that looks flattering during the third trimester. At least on me. So this time around I bought just a few more fitted things that did not look like tents on me and sewed myself a couple things to fill in.
This got me through the beginning of the second tri, but I'm also hoping the extra room will serve me well while I'm sporting some baby weight this winter. These pictures are at 18 weeks.
The pattern for this dress is from Handmade Beginnings and is covering a 27 week belly. I added a ruffle at the bottom because the hem started to feel immodest as the belly grew. This dress also has a nursing panel, but there's so much fabric gathered at the front that I'm not sure I'll wear it much postpartem without taking it completely apart and reworking the skirt, which probably won't happen if I'm being honest.
I found this shirt on clearance and bought it a size bigger than I would normally wear. I just added a row of elastic under the bust and it was a super comfy top for the second trimester, but it didn't take long before my belly started peeking out of the bottom, as you can see in this shot from 29 weeks.
And here's the maternity version of the nursing top I made. This top is a whopping three sizes larger than I would normally wear plus I added a few extra inches on the sides and to the front length to accomodate a belly.
At first I thought it was too big, but I underestimated how big the belly could get, as you can see here at 32 weeks.
And finally, nothing homemade, but this is my favorite maternity top today at 39 weeks. I really can't imagine getting any bigger--baby boy, please come soon!
Third Birthday
{
Friday, September 07, 2012
}
Its been a few months since we celebrated the bean's third birthday, but I'm very excited to share some pictures from her party.
We started the day bright and early making a new line on the bean's growth chart.
She was so happy that she was three (feet tall) on her third birthday!
Then off to the park, which has become a birthday location tradition. The bean had requested an elmo theme, which you know I got a little carried away with.
Here's the bean sampling all the food before the guests arrived.
We couldn't find an elmo bounce house, so the bean chose a disney princess bouncer. I wish we had been able to get a good picture of it--it was quite impressive to see all that pink in the middle of the elmo party!
The kids spent most of their time in the bounce house, but we also had a craft, pin the nose on elmo, and the bean's aunt did some amazing face painting.
The princess theme (sub theme?) didn't stop at the bounce house--the bean also wanted an ice cream cake with all the princesses on it. How could we say no on her birthday?
By her third birthday, I finally got around to making the birthday crown I've been planning forever. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Its a little big, but hopefully she'll grow into it!
It was such a whirlwind day--we never did get a shot of the three of us together, but I really like this one of the boy and I. Also, no bump shots all day.
It wasn't until we were all getting ready for bed that we realized we hadn't taken our birthday sign picture, so we stepped out on our deck and tried to get a quick shot as the sun was going down.
We started the day bright and early making a new line on the bean's growth chart.
She was so happy that she was three (feet tall) on her third birthday!
Then off to the park, which has become a birthday location tradition. The bean had requested an elmo theme, which you know I got a little carried away with.
Here's the bean sampling all the food before the guests arrived.
We couldn't find an elmo bounce house, so the bean chose a disney princess bouncer. I wish we had been able to get a good picture of it--it was quite impressive to see all that pink in the middle of the elmo party!
The kids spent most of their time in the bounce house, but we also had a craft, pin the nose on elmo, and the bean's aunt did some amazing face painting.
The princess theme (sub theme?) didn't stop at the bounce house--the bean also wanted an ice cream cake with all the princesses on it. How could we say no on her birthday?
By her third birthday, I finally got around to making the birthday crown I've been planning forever. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Its a little big, but hopefully she'll grow into it!
It was such a whirlwind day--we never did get a shot of the three of us together, but I really like this one of the boy and I. Also, no bump shots all day.
It wasn't until we were all getting ready for bed that we realized we hadn't taken our birthday sign picture, so we stepped out on our deck and tried to get a quick shot as the sun was going down.
Peanut is . . .
{
Monday, June 11, 2012
}
a Boy!!!!
And, of course, more importantly he is growing and developing just as he should be. He is measuring a week and a half ahead, but we aren't concerned (his sister took about six months to drop down onto the growth chart--apparently, I grow them big).
Its so hard not to compare things to my last pregnancy and so I keep counting months and remembering that at this stage last time, the boy and I were getting married, renovating a house, and moving. Don't get me wrong, I have many projects planned for this summer, but I am moving so much more slowly this time around! Of course, part of it is that nothing gets done quickly with a toddler around, but I'm also finding myself stopping to rest at a frequency I only remember from the last month of my first pregnancy.
Also? Its HOT. We are just a couple weeks away from the bean's birthday, which means I was walking around in a tent dress with the air conditioning on full blast, taking naps on the couch, and complaining loudly this time three years ago. Its hard to imagine making it through two and half more months of summer as I keep getting bigger and bigger, but I have little choice in the matter.
I am carrying baby boy very, very low (because everything is stretched out?) which is interesting. I feel many more kicks and movements now than I did with his sister, but they are all so very low. His position seems to be contributing to the pain I'm feeling in my back and legs and also making it difficult to bend or reach forward. All stuff I associate with later in pregnancy, so its odd to be experiencing it now in the middle of the second trimester.
Its also strange to me that there aren't a lot of preparations for us to make this time around. I keep wanting to make lists of baby essentials, but we already have most everything I could list, since we purchased things for the bean with the idea of reusing them for a sibling. We won't be taking any childbirth classes or hospital tours this time around, so I just have some fun knitting and sewing projects to tackle along with so much organizing around the house. And maternity clothes. I've been sewing a lot of my maternity clothes since finding cute clothes to buy is so difficult. Stay tuned for pictures of those soon!
And, of course, more importantly he is growing and developing just as he should be. He is measuring a week and a half ahead, but we aren't concerned (his sister took about six months to drop down onto the growth chart--apparently, I grow them big).
Its so hard not to compare things to my last pregnancy and so I keep counting months and remembering that at this stage last time, the boy and I were getting married, renovating a house, and moving. Don't get me wrong, I have many projects planned for this summer, but I am moving so much more slowly this time around! Of course, part of it is that nothing gets done quickly with a toddler around, but I'm also finding myself stopping to rest at a frequency I only remember from the last month of my first pregnancy.
Also? Its HOT. We are just a couple weeks away from the bean's birthday, which means I was walking around in a tent dress with the air conditioning on full blast, taking naps on the couch, and complaining loudly this time three years ago. Its hard to imagine making it through two and half more months of summer as I keep getting bigger and bigger, but I have little choice in the matter.
I am carrying baby boy very, very low (because everything is stretched out?) which is interesting. I feel many more kicks and movements now than I did with his sister, but they are all so very low. His position seems to be contributing to the pain I'm feeling in my back and legs and also making it difficult to bend or reach forward. All stuff I associate with later in pregnancy, so its odd to be experiencing it now in the middle of the second trimester.
Its also strange to me that there aren't a lot of preparations for us to make this time around. I keep wanting to make lists of baby essentials, but we already have most everything I could list, since we purchased things for the bean with the idea of reusing them for a sibling. We won't be taking any childbirth classes or hospital tours this time around, so I just have some fun knitting and sewing projects to tackle along with so much organizing around the house. And maternity clothes. I've been sewing a lot of my maternity clothes since finding cute clothes to buy is so difficult. Stay tuned for pictures of those soon!
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