41 Weeks

Making it to September still pregnant was not how I thought things would pan out. Having gone earlier with each pregnancy, I fully expected an August baby. If I would have picked the date, I would have guessed August 31st because that was the one day Matt said I couldn't go into labor due to things going on at work. But now that I'm a week past my due date, it feels like baby Austin isn't ever going to come. I keep doing things to prepare to no avail. For example, over a week ago I made sure I had all the laundry done in the house because I felt for sure I'd go into labor in the next few days; I made sure I was stocked with groceries so that wouldn't be an imminent need. There's just no predicting when baby will actually come (unless you're getting induced).

Last week on my due date I had the midwife check me to see if there had been any progression at all. I was dilated 2-3 and 50% effaced. At the appointment this week, they did an ultrasound to check that fluids were fine as well as a non-stress test to make sure the neurological development of the baby is okay. Both checked out just fine. I'm now dilated to a 4 and 85% effaced. It's comforting to know that there's been some progress. The baby is currently measuring 8 lbs. 10 oz. Yikes! I have friends who have delivered 9 pound babies naturally, but I will admit that it has me nervous. The atmosphere at the birthing center is very relaxed about the fact that I'm past my due date. Baby checked out fine, I checked out fine, so baby will come when he's ready. The atmosphere in the rest of the world is panic, so it's hard not to feel that anxiety as well. He's only getting bigger, and with that come the potential for a few more complications--increased risk of a stillborn (from 4/1000 to 8/1000) and increased risk of needing a c-section. We all want to meet him so badly, and I'm praying that nothing will go wrong.

In terms of "do it yourself labor", nothing I've tried has worked. I mowed the backyard on Saturday (no small feat since we have a large backyard), I rollerblade the boys to school every day, weeding, mopping the floor on hands and knees, cleaning bathrooms, running up and down the stairs, walking... Nothing. (I quit running two weeks before my due date.) Despite being 1 week past my due date, my weight gain is 26 lbs., which I'm proud of because it's a lot of work to monitor gaining a healthy amount of weight gradually. However, the weight gain is now reflected in my chubby face. :(

I'm definitely tired of being pregnant--bending down, trying to find a comfortable sleep position, getting winded easily, feeling like a bloated whale. There are many things I love about being pregnant, but after 9 months, it's easier to focus on the things that make it so hard!

Here's to hoping that baby Austin decides to come sooner rather than later. I'm especially nervous about the time table now because Caleb gets baptized on Saturday!

Pregnancy Update & Delivery Plan

We are nearing the end of this pregnancy with only 4 weeks till baby Austin joins the family. The middle name is not decided yet. I spent the first half of the pregnancy planning on the name Liam and was absolutely crushed when a close neighbor and church friend named her baby Liam a few months ago. I debated for the next month continuing with the plan of Liam, but soon fell in love with the name Austin. Matt is very easy-going when it comes to naming our children; he will let me know when he strongly opposes a name, but doesn't give a ton of input on name suggestions which can be frustrating at times. :)

The pregnancy has continued to go well. I've never had a doctor that will do extra ultrasounds so I've only had the 8 week and 20 week ultrasounds. I get nervous when I can't see the baby and have the doctor assure me that all is well with baby's growth. I took the 3-hour glucose test instead of the 1-hour this time; it just made sense to jump straight to the 3-hour since I've failed the 1-hour 2 out of 3 times in previous pregnancies. I passed the 3-hour test just fine.

My weight gain was looking off-track this time around for my personal goal to only gain 25 lbs. I was doing worse than my other pregnancies and gaining more weight sooner; I just attributed it to the fact that my body is older though it was frustrating since I was running more than in previous pregnancies. However, something shifted where my weight gain slowed down even though nothing changed in my appetite. I am currently at 22 lbs. gained and am on track to gain the least out of all my pregnancies. Something else odd this time around is that I didn't gain as much weight in my face, which I was happy about!

I constantly hear how small I look for as far along as I am. As in the two previous pregnancies, I am measuring smaller, but only by a centimeter. I definitely take it as a compliment when I hear this, but I hope people realize it doesn't come naturally--it's a lot of hard work! I attribute it to my running since my eating habits could definitely improve. A few people have assumed I just have smaller babies. All my babies have been average-size: 7 lbs. 11 oz., 7 lbs. 13 oz., and 8 lbs.

I've cut back from running my 17 miles a week (4 days: 3, 3, 3, and 6) that I've been doing throughout my pregnancy to running 12-13 miles a week (4 days: 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 5). My pace continues to get slower, currently 10:45. Some days are better than others depending on how I'm feeling; some days I can run the whole time and other days I have to walk one or two times. I'm sure I look pretty silly while running with a big belly which is why I try to go really early. :)

The BIG NEWS of this pregnancy was a change in delivery plans at 26 weeks. After gathering a lot of information, I've decided to deliver at a birthing center with a midwife. I haven't loved the OB I've used for the last 3 pregnancies, but I was too lazy to switch over to someone new. It was convenient to stay with the only thing I've known. He hasn't been super supportive over my decision to birth naturally and also my personal feelings against being induced. Each baby he has tried many times to convince me to be induced so that it can be on his time table--it has just made me feel that all he cared about was being there to deliver the baby for the money. I've always felt good about the baby coming on baby's time table, not on anyone else's.

The switch to a midwife is definitely different. Some things that I thought were just part of OB appointments I'm learning are not necessary. For example, I do not do a urine sample each visit. The midwife doesn't do cervical exams at all (unless warranted or desired) because it does nothing to tell you the timing of when the baby will come and increases the chance of infection.

The doctors that have delivered me (different doctors for each baby since 2 were on-call doctors), had very little to do with the labor. They were just there to catch the baby. I'm excited to have a midwife with me every step of the way during labor, which should be quick based off my record. I'm also looking forward to the experience of a water birth as I hear that it does a lot to ease the contractions. All in all, the decision to switch to a midwife just felt right despite the stories I've heard about a few bad experiences.

All of my previous pregnancies I wasn't necessarily excited for the pregnancy to end, despite how uncomfortable it can be those last few months! I knew that having the baby out was a lot more difficult than having the baby in! Once the baby comes, so do the sleepless nights, the worrying about every little thing, the demand on your time with nursing so often... However, this time around I'm not feeling quite the same way. I can't wait for baby Austin to be here! Maybe because I'm not so nervous about the labor this time around combined with the fact that I'm more experienced. Also Carter and Bryson are both obsessed with babies right now. I can't wait for them to have their own little baby in the home to be obsessed with. :)

Here's to hoping the rest goes well...

Pregnancy Update

I'm just over 23 weeks now and thought I'd post about my pregnancy this 4th time around since I'm about halfway. My due date is Sept. 2nd--the cut off for schools here is Sept. 1st, so it will be interesting to see when I actually deliver. The pregnancy is going well so far. The first trimester I felt nauseous almost every night at 10pm, so I would usually head to bed and sleep that off. Once the second trimester began, the nausea went away. I had a scare about being exposed to fifths disease but found out I was immune to it.

We found out on April 21st that we're having our 4th boy! I completely expected it. With baby #3, I was positive it was a girl and then felt disappointed to learn it was a boy. Maybe because I didn't want to feel that disappointment again, I have felt this was a boy from the beginning. I even had a dream that I delivered a boy a week before the gender ultrasound appointment. The only one that was really disappointed about the gender was Carter who thought it just made sense that we should have a girl since we have enough boys. Carter and Bryson are obsessed with babies and have been for the last year, so it will be fun to have another baby in the house again.

One thing I don't like to give up even though I'm pregnant is my running. I'm still running 16 miles a week--3 miles 3 times a week and 7 miles on Saturday. It helps keep my weight-gain in check; I also think it helps with my pregnancy, labor, and delivery. I've received comments each pregnancy about how I carry small or people are surprised I'm as far along as I am. I think my running has something to do with this as well. My times have gone from 8 - 8:15 pace miles on my long runs to a 9:30 pace. It's frustrating to lose all I've gained in my speed and then to start from square one after I deliver. Obviously a new little baby is worth it!

The hardest part about pregnancies for me is the weight gain. Some women can pull off pregnancy still looking stylish and cute--I don't feel like I fit into that category, and I hate the way I feel about myself as I put on weight. So I doubt I'll take more pictures after this one! :) My current weight gain is 14 pounds--my goal is to gain 25 pounds, which I'm not on track to do. I enjoy eating too much!

22 weeks

No Rush

From the women I've talked to, most pregnant women are ready for pregnancy to be over at this stage in the game. Both times I've felt just the opposite. Yes, it's awkward having a big belly, and it limits you in several activities, but it's so much easier taking care of the baby now than after he's born! As adorable as newborns are, they make me very nervous...they're so tiny and I worry over every little thing. I'm very much enjoying sleeping through the night right now as well (when Caleb lets me). I also do not have the problem of many pregnant women (or even not pregnant women) who have to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. I feel great and am enjoying these last few days of just me and Caleb. So I'm content to keep the bun in the oven until he's ready to come out!

I had a scare at my doctor's appointment this past Thursday. Without discussing it with me or even asking me, when checking to see what my cervix was dilated to (3 cm), my doctor just told me he was stripping my membranes, which is supposed to speed the labor along by starting contractions. This was after we had just had a discussion about me not wanting to be induced because I wanted the baby to come in his timetable...not mine or the doctor's. He did this with Caleb last time when I was 2 days past my due date, and I went into labor within 24 hours. I gave my consent with Caleb because I was already past my due date. But at my last appointment, I was only 39 weeks and definitely would have said no if my doctor would have asked me before he did it. (Time to look for a new doctor next time around?) I was very nervous all night that contractions were going to start hitting hard, but it definitely made me and Matt get all final preparations ready (a few more things down from the attic and I hadn't packed my hospital bag yet). I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I slept through the night without any mishaps, and I've definitely taken it easy these last few days (no more exercising). Like I said, I'm in no hurry. From everything I've read, I believe it's important to let the baby come when he/she is ready and don't agree with these modern conveniences of inducing or scheduling the day your baby is going to be born. If I had to make a request for my baby's birth day, I would prefer not to have to spend my birthday in the hospital (Tuesday the 30th) or Matt's birthday (Friday the 2nd). I also would rather my baby not be born on his due date, which is April Fool's day. We'll see how well the baby cooperates. :o)

1 Month To Go!

I wasn't going to post any more pregnant pictures at this point, but because a good friend requested, I had to oblige. Just a little over a month until go time.

If you're thinking my belly looks small for 8 months it's because it is. I'm carrying this baby different than Caleb for some reason, and I'm measuring 4 cm smaller than most women. (The measurement lengthwise of your belly in cm should match the number of weeks you are in the pregnancy.) It concerned my doctor at my 31-week check-up to see that my belly was only 27 cm, which is what it was at my previous visit 4 weeks earlier. He did an ultrasound a few days later to make sure the baby was growing okay and that there was enough amniotic fluid. Things were okay on both accounts. All the baby's measurements measured at 31 or 32 weeks' growth, and the doctor was stumped that I was hiding the baby so well. I get comments all the time from people that can't believe I'm as far along as I am. If it makes anyone feel any better, just because I look slightly smaller than my weeks, I still feel very pregnant.

Just a few other details for my own journaling purposes. I'm still running 3 miles. I didn't think it was possible, and I never imagined I would be running this late in the game, but I guess the consistency has helped me be able to keep it up. (Perhaps the running has affected me measuring smaller...?) My pace is incredibly slow, however. Last weekend at a church activity, we all met at a park in the morning for a family day. Part of the activity was a 5K. Matt and I ran it together, and when he needed a walking break (because he doesn't run), he was able to speed walk and almost keep up with me. I do take walking breaks when needed, usually just 1/4 mile break in the middle of the run. My weight gain is 22 lbs. so far, and I'm still reading up and planning on a natural childbirth. I'm definitely not opposed to an epidural, however, as I had one with Caleb and thought it was fabulous! We'll see if I can put everything I'm reading (relaxation techniques etc.) into action, and we'll see how good a coach Matt is as he'll need to play a much bigger role this time around. I'm hoping to labor as much at home as possible, and then by the time I get to the hospital not have a choice about getting an epidural or not because I'll be too far dilated... I'm definitely not trying to go the natural route to try to prove what a "tough" woman I am, but my reasoning is still pretty silly according to my family. Writing that fat check for the anesthesiologist was not fun after Caleb was born! I'd rather buy myself some new, nice furniture and endure some pain, but we'll see what happens when I'm actually in the moment. :o)

25 Weeks and Counting...

Blood Pressure: 104/60

Weight Gain: 13 lbs. *I can only gain 12 lbs. in 15 weeks if I want to achieve my ideal weight gain of 25 lbs....pretty much an impossibility.

Exercise: mostly inside now that the weather is colder. Occasionally I can still get out and walk/jog if the weather warms up or if Matt is home (I don't want Caleb to get sick). Today was one of those days where I could exercise outside. I walked the first mile, then started a slow jog for however long until the cramping got too painful and I had to walk. 5 miles of jogging later, I quit not because of cramping, but because my legs were starting to feel like jelly. I haven't been able to run this much in at least 3 months, and it felt amazing! Definitely a tender mercy as I have missed the ability to be able to run. I didn't even feel pregnant as I ran and only remembered as I glanced down at my protruding belly.

Favorite Part About Pregnancy: Feeling the baby move. I especially love when Matt can get involved, i.e. see and feel the baby move.

Birth Plan: Natural if I can do it. (This is a whole other post in and of itself as I have always thought epidural is the way to go as seen in these previous posts. see #29 for the baby tag post)

Things to do in the next 15 weeks before the baby comes: Pick a name! & get Caleb's new room ready (we're going to buy a bunk bed for his room and bypass the toddler bed).

Halfway Point

I was positively convinced I knew I was having a girl this time, just like I felt like Caleb was a boy. I already had a name picked out and everything (Matt doesn't start doing the name brainstorming until about 2 weeks before I'm due--lame). Therefore I was really shocked at the ultrasound yesterday when the nurse announced it was a boy. (Apparently the baby wanted it to be very obvious as he kept showing "the goods" whenever the nurse was trying to get other measurements done.) So much for my "women's intuition". It will be fun to have two boys together so they can be good friends. Now the nerves are starting though that I might not have a girl... :o)

20 weeks

Pregnancy Update

I didn't post pictures of my pregnancy first go-around, and I probably won't post pictures up to the end this time, simply because I don't like to be reminded of how I look 8 and 9 months pregnant. I know very few people who can pull off looking good with a watermelon belly and an extra 30 lbs.

I do want to post some of the fun and not-so-fun of this pregnancy. In general, I don't mind being pregnant. I fall into the lucky 45% or so that don't get sick in their pregnancy. I have felt a lot more nauseous this pregnancy than the previous one, but I have quickly discovered that I need to avoid taking my pre-natal vitamin on an empty stomach and that small snacks fend off the nausea. I enjoy going to the doctor visits to get a check-up and hear the baby's heart beat. I love that the doctor's visits are so frequent so that I can always ask questions and just feel reassured that the pregnancy is going well. I think I have already felt the baby move, and Matt confirms that he think he has felt it move as well, but I'm not entirely positive. Overall, pregnancy suits me, and I recognize how lucky I am not only to get pregnant, but to have healthy ones (thus far...knock on wood).

That being said, the thing I like least about being pregnant is purely selfish. I hate how it limits my physical activity. I love to be really active, and it's hard to have to slow down. I am still running every day with my sister, but our general pace has slowed down, as well as my times in the mile. Whereas 4 months ago, I could average 7-minute miles (when timing myself in 1 mile), I am now averaging between 8 and 8:30-minute miles. As long as my body will let me, I am still attempting to do long runs on the weekends. Up until 2 weeks ago, I was running 7 miles every Saturday at my usual long-distance pace of a 9-minute mile. These last two Saturdays have been very difficult, however. I have only run 5.5 miles, and have turned the timer off these last two weeks because my times were starting out horrendously after the first few miles. I don't have the ability to push myself faster, and this past Saturday I even had to take a short walking break every 2 miles. It's really hard for me to give up this new passion for running I've developed over the last 2 years, albeit temporarily. It takes a long time to build up to running long distances, so it's difficult to let that slip away knowing it will be a lot of work to train up to again.

Besides running, I'm playing tennis twice a week with Matt as well as some friends on Saturdays, and I hold my own (as the pregnancy progresses, then I'm sure Matt will be able to beat me ;o). We are also playing Ultimate Frisbee still, because it is one of our favorite things to do together. I'm afraid that with 2 kids, it will be a lot more difficult to ever play again though.

Along with the limited activity, I really struggle with the increased cravings and hunger. For me, it's difficult to find a balance between meeting those hunger pains, but not putting on an excessive amount of weight, which is just a pain in the butt to have to work off afterwards. Just like with my first pregnancy, I'm really going to try to keep it around a 25 lb. weight gain. (The first one I gained 30 lbs.) I read in a pregnancy book that you should gain 3 lbs in the first trimester, and then 1 pound per week after that. If I did my math right, it works out to gaining about 28 lbs. Right now, I'm on track with that.

Anyway, so that's an update. Less than 4 weeks till we find out the sex of the baby!