12/30 labor

12/30 noonish AST

Last night I was having consistent contractions, but seemed to lessen as I went to sleep. I was woken up several times in the night with contractions, but nothing that kept me from going back to sleep.

Today I woke and ate, and the contractions came back. I am having them every 2-3 minutes as very noticeable contractions. I have not had pain to speak of yet, just bearable pressure with occasional times of unbearable pressure. I feel a general malaise, like in other labors. I just want to hide in myself and listen to no noises. My back is aching and I feel very tired. I have waves of nausea with most contractions. The baby is not moving in a contraction anymore, so that discomfort has ended.

Tomorrow night is full moon, and while not superstitious, I do believe that the gravitational pull is a reality. Just look at the great oceans which are affected so easily by the moon and its pull. Our bodies are made up of a great percentage of liquid. And, I believe that since God made the moon, I can recognize His creation as a force that can affect me.

We are one day past the "due date." I am happy that this baby has finally decided that it is time for birth. I am glad that s/he has waited this long to be born, rather than making an appearance at 26 weeks or so and requiring a long hospital stay. Praise be to God for His timing in all things.

Could this be labor finally??

8:55pm

I think I have finally gone into real labor. This could be yet another false start, but I truly hope not. I set up the "tub" in the shower. I made my friend's circular pool into a rectangular tub for comfort in labor.

I tried it out and it works just fine. The first hot bath I have had, in my own home, while living in Dominica! The breeze is not awful, but if it were a windy night, we would have problems.

Contractions are coming pretty regular with hard ones about 6 minutes apart and 2 small ones in between, kind of like a continuation of the hard one. So, if I had to say exact timing between them, 2 minutes between each with varying degrees of strength. I don't know what if anything the small ones are doing.

I will update as I can.

Update anyone?

I have been really bad about posting. I really should tend to the updates more often...
With that off my chest, I want to let everyone know that my due date has changed again! We counted from the real dates that Travis wrote down in his date book, and found that my due date is really supposed to be December 29! That is just a few days away. You can imagine our surprise when we thought of all the time I spent on bedrest thinking that the baby was way too early to live outside the womb. Maybe if I had known, I would not have been so careful... so maybe it is a good thing that we did not know.
The past 3 weeks have been fun filled and busy. We had visitors from Colorado off the cruise ship 12/20, and visitors from Oklahoma- Shelby's visitors really. We finally counted the dates on the 17th or 18th and I was able to be up and about for our company and Christmas.

As for baby: No update from a website, but my own rendition. Baby is fully developed and ready for birth. You may be in labor or there soon. Congrats on surviving 40 weeks of ups and downs!

Last Sunday (12/20) I started having intense contractions with lightheadedness and a pukey feeling and thought This is it! But, alas, I am still pregnant. Here we see another Sunday and I, again, am having contractions, harder this time, but not hard labor.
I am knitting an 11th-hour diaper cover. I finished some seamless baby booties in purple and green. I am finishing up some cloth diapers to use. We will see how that goes.

Lately I feel like I have an 8-pound octopus residing inside of my belly. I am warned by a few mothers of twins that this means more than one, and I will probably eat my words, but, no, I am not having twins *beating hands and feet on the floor*. I am having just one baby- right God? The ultrasound tech told me there is no way I have twins, so I am hedging on that. Although I am preparing for a baby with as much extra as I can. I already wash 1-2 loads per day, so what difference does it make if I have to wash a third??

I am sort of glad that I did not have a Christmas baby. That would have made our ham dinner a little late, like 2 days late.

This morning during meeting I started having a dizzy spell. I was singing and started feeling lightheaded and my vision was going dark. I guess the singing made me oxygen deprived. As soon as I put my head down I started feeling better, but it took several minutes for me to feel as though I was not going to faint. All the contractions since then have given me breathlessness and dizziness. Hope this is it!!

Signing off for now. I have to update the family blog.

Look at me grow.

The above picture was taken October 12th or so...

Here I am December 7th. Look at me here. It is not usual for me to be up but decided that I must get a picture to show myself how I am growing! I keep looking down at the belly and think that I seem to be staying the same size... forever. But now I see there IS a difference.

Back labor??

Yesterday I did what I knew I should not. When it was time to go to the chiropractor, there were no local buses due to a cruise ship being in, so we started walking. I had a bad feeling about walking but went along with it thinking that we would get a ride after just a bit of walking. Was I ever wrong!
We walked about 10 miles, really only 3/10 of a mile, but it FELT like 10 miles! It did not take us long but we walked down toward the river and then across for a bit before we were picked up by a tour with 2 people in it.
We arrived several minutes later in Wotten Waven at the chiropractor's office. She was at lunch and we waited for a good 1/2 hour before she was ready. Meanwhile, I tried to sit, walk, stand, and finally ended up using the restroom several times. Severe pain had started in my lower back and I had waves of contractions along with nausea and lightheadedness. The contractions did not seem to go away completely and they were very hard. Walking helped but also made me walk quickly back to the bathroom. Finally I had to sit and stay in a chair, moving around to find a "comfortable" position. All the ladies with labor out there know that there is no comfortable position, there is only "hurts too bad", "doesn't hurt as much", or "hurts the least."
When the chiropractor walked out, she did not seem too worried since she knew I had been having contractions on and off for weeks, but when I told her that I was too dizzy and wanted to puke, she took notice. She decided to adjust me outside standing up. The pain did not go away and Travis did not get adjusted. The receptionist drove us straight home, making sure to go over all the potholes and bumps. Not really, but it seemed like it ;)
After the adjustment, I just wanted to sleep and forget everything. I slept for about 2-1/2 hours total. Upon waking, the pain was not better, but walking helped.
I called my mom who said something like, "Sounds like back labor. You know they tell women to walk to bring on labor right?" Of course, I knew, I just ignored that bad feeling at the beginning. I am so sick of being on bedrest!
I called my sister who told me a few ideas to slow labor. She told me of the old remedy of a glass of red wine. Knowing that Friday night was not the night I would find red wine- anywhere on island- I suggested rum, which I have on hand for eggnog flavoring. She told me that 1-2 shots would be ok but not to get drunk. Ha! 1/2 a shot is enough to get me drunk! I finally tried that but it did nothing to slow the contractions or diminish the pain.
Next, I drank red raspberry leaf tea. I do love it strong. It did not work. I drank a high dose of magnesium citrate which was suggested by a family member. This worked the best, but only for about 30 minutes. I thought I was all out of ideas.
We watched a comedy trying to get my mind off the pain and contractions. The semi-reclining position really helped, especially while I was laughing uncontrollably. If you need a good laugh, watch Old Dogs. Robin Williams and John Travolta are hilarious in this movie. I am usually not a big John Travolta fan since he tends toward a lifestyle in his movies to which I will not attain, but I don't remember one cuss word or one sexist comment. There were no intimate scenes, but there is drinking in the movie. Still very hilarious!
After the movie, I noticed that the pain had lessened just a bit, but then I arose to visit my second home, the room with the white seat. As soon as I started walking the pain came shooting back but eased after that. When I came back to bed, I could not find a comfortable position, or even semi-comfortable. I was up and down for about an hour and could not doze off.
Finally I decided that melatonin was my choice of drug to force my mind to sleep. The melatonin certainly forced me to sleep, but every time I woke to use the restroom, I would be hit with a wave of pain and nausea. Along about 5am, I noticed a shift in pain which let me sleep deeply and comfortably without waking with pain.
I still had a little bit of pain and remembered what my mom had mentioned about back labor. I remembered also that baby has been "face up" when I lie down, this noticed by all the kicks and hits being in the front of my belly. So, I rocked hips and the baby turned so that his little back was laying in my hanging belly. Way more comfortable!! Unfortunately, I cannot stay in that position all day.
The pain stayed away until about 1pm (is it 2 pm already???) when I went to the kitchen and fried eggs for the hash that Travis had made for "breakfast."
I am back in bed, semi-reclined with knees up. I talked again with my sister who suggested laying with knees up since this is a known position to inhibit labor. I still don't know if I am in true labor, but I don't want to be, so I am doing whatever I can to keep the pain and contractions away.
Right now, Junior is punching and kicking upward and I am having pain in the back again. Labor sucks, false and real! I just have to keep my mind on that precious goal which I will hold in my arms very soon. Watching life go by with me in bed is irritating to say the least.

I have had the hymn Blessed Assurance in mind lately.I really enjoy Fanny J. Crosby's hymns. Here is a link to the website where I found the words and the music.

33 weeks

Here we are at 33 weeks. We have made it past Taleah's gestational age when she was born. For some reason, if I make it past 32 weeks, 6 days, it is like everything will be fine and the baby will be able to breathe if born today. I know that this is not neccesarily so, but there is that mental block that is so scared of any birth before that age. Somehow my brain disregards the fact that I had steroid shots to boost her lung development!

Contractions have started again even with caffeine. Last night lying in bed, I felt the baby's movements in a different way. I have this extreme low back ache like back labor even though I know nothing is happening. I have to slouch to get it gone. It hurts to lie down on my back or sudes, but feels great to lie half on the stomach with my knee brought up beside my belly to prop me up. I don't know if this is pain from the sciatic nerve or just body aches. Last time I felt this bad, I was in labor with each boy.
I wish I had a time capsule to move ahead 3 weeks and have the baby and then move back to this time with baby being normal birth age. Keep dreaming.


Funny, my info on the pregnancy website says "You are 33 weeks and pregnant." It usually reads You are __ weeks and __ days pregnant.
What is happening in the womb this week: Your unborn baby's senses continue to develop. If you talk to your baby, she can hear you. In fact, her world is full of sounds. In addition to your voice, she can hear your stomach growling and your lungs taking in air, along with the reassuring vibrations of your heart beating. Also, your baby's skin has turned from red to pink and she has started preparing for life outside the womb by storing iron in her liver.
This week your baby stretches to around 12 inches (crown to rump) and weighs in at about four pounds, eight ounces. Thank you babyzone.com

I read that 35 weeks is considered full term for all the organs development-wise.

We are nearing that now. 2 more weeks! Can you believe the journey seems that quick? Funny, but looking forward, 7 months seems eons in the future!

Contractions! AAAhhhhh...

There are a few things I just can't stand. Preterm contractions are one of them. We experimented with magnesium and that only served to make them harder when I did have them, about half the time. We have tried bedrest... that works when I don't have to get out of bed. Who can keep from going to the bathroom for 24 hours? Pregnant or not. We have tried about every remedy short of shots and hanging upside down.
Then... I drank a cup of tea. I am not usually a black tea drinker since my ulcerative colitis flares badly when I have caffeine. But this time, I drank it and within half an hour I had no contractions. Great! Wonderful!
But, as you know, every "drug" has a side effect. The side effect for me is swelling. I have elephant ankles half the day. I still have to take it easy and rest often, but I am almost 33 weeks pregnant!

This dear baby will be well-loved. I heard Taya telling Taleah today that she would be holding the baby and she could help mama feed the baby and change the baby, but that Taleah would be too sick to help. (Taleah has a slight fever and body aches today.) Hope that is not so in 3-7 weeks!!
Trinton wants to feel the baby kick all the time. Taya is constantly asking what the baby is saying. And we have not settled on a name yet.
We are taking suggestions but will not know for sure until the little one is born.
It must start with a T, girls' names need to go well with Elizabeth for a middle name, boys' names with Walter for a middle name, be pronouncable, and not be too mainstream. You can suggest anything of course, but these are the criteria we are using.
We will put it to a vote within our immediate family (Dad, Mom, 5 children) about the time the baby is due or after birth. That could be as soon as December 23rd (36 weeks) or as late as Jan 20th or later.

All else is going well. Baby is active and bouncy. What an amazing thing to carry life.
I saw a post from a lady on a pregnancy board. Her picture says: I am so crafty, I make people.

32 weeks already!

Boy does time fly! I am currently on bedrest, looking forward to Decmber 23rd when I will be 36 weeks. I am not staying on bedrest then! I will be happily dancing a jig to help the baby come.

Travis rented an oxygen tank a few days ago! He says that we can be prepared in case the baby decides to show his face before he is "due" to arrive. Meanwhile, contractions move on steadily and I hope are not doing much to induce a birth.

What is going on with baby: Just like you, your unborn baby will establish a daily routine. You'll notice at times your baby is active and wiggly, while at other times you can't feel her movements. Once your baby's born, she'll most likely continue with her in-utero pattern. Along with a routine, your baby has favorite positions too. A favorite of many unborn babies is to have their heads down, rumps up towards the ribs (conveniently, the perfect position for labor). *Fortunately, that is exactly where Junior is!*

Your unborn baby weighs around four pounds and stretches to over 11 and one-half inches in length (crown to rump). * Thank you babyzone.com

Not my baby, but an ultrasound picture at 32 weeks:

This comes from a really cool website Calgary Youth for Life http://www.c2g.ca/development.html

Ten weeks to go!

Baby:
Your baby's face looks much like it will when he's born. He still needs to fill out more to get the characteristic chubby infant cheeks, but he's on his way. He can move his head, open his eyes, and make breathing movements through his open nostrils (although no air comes in).
If your little one were born today, he'd have a good chance for survival at about three pounds and nearly 11 inches long (crown to rump).

Me:
God has given me another chance to show compassion. I am dealing with the nastiest sciatic pain, lower back ache, sleeplessness, preterm contractions, nausea, kidney pain, UTI, and general fatigue and pain. Of course most of these are typical of pregnancy, but none of them are easy. I am being shown what other women go through gladly to have even one baby and I am blessed with this tiny number six in our family.
The baby is very active especially after a contraction, rolling and kicking, punching and hiccuping. The contractions are rhythmic and sometimes hard, but with no change to the cervix, baby is safe for right now. I am drinking loads of water, juice, red raspberry leaf tea, and more water.
The best position for lessening contractions is on my left side- bummer for my sore left shoulder.
Good news though, the kidney pain is almost all gone leaving me with one less problem to deal with. I am certainly being set up to have sympathy as a doula or birth helper.
I would truly love to have any children I have from now on at home. I would also love to help women in health, pregnancy, labor and birth, and postnatal time. I am not sure that I want to become a midwife since they tend to have difficulties in several areas. I recently had a bad experience with a rather unknowledgeable midwife who did not care to increase her knowledge at all. I know she is not the rule. I also talked with doctors and a midwife about having a home birth. I was told by all of them that a home VBAC was not an option since I had a great risk of rupturing or having other complications. I know this is bunk as I had a pretty uncomplicated hospital VBAC. I know my body is quite able to birth a baby, especially since I have birthed babies from this same man who is the dad of all my children. I am not going to be birthing an abominable snowman or a 6 foot Slavic. I am birthing my baby through the natural opening God created for that purpose. I am confident in God's creation and in my body's ability.
I am slowly moving in the direction of UC (unassisted childbirth) for myself. My husband is coming into knowledge that will help him in his attitude towards his future patients in childbirth and delivery. I am coming to trust God much more than I have in the past.

Every week is one more that this baby's lungs are developed more fully to be able to sustain its own life without me. Pray for this baby to have fully developed lungs and all organs when God decides it is the time for him or her to make an appearance.

I have been in a slight panic as we are now 10 weeks away from our due date and we have no baby clothing. I went looking on the internet and found a cool website on how to make simple baby clothing. We are not likely to need socks, so we can leave those out. I am going to sew shirts, pants and shorts, and knit a few vests and hats. Maybe I will make a few pairs of baby mitts so baby does not scratch his or her face. http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/baby-clothes.html

25 weeks

This past week I helped a friend in labor. I am so glad I am not trying a first birth in Dominica. I know what to expect from my labor- fast and hard. Trajun's labor was very hard and slow until the last when I went from 4cm to 10 cm in 3 hours.
No pain killers this time. Trinton was long and relatively easy compared to Trajun. We will see how long I stay in the shower for pain relief.
I wonder who will be there... If I go to 40 weeks, Travis will be in class and I will have the children here at home. My friend, who may be coming to help, will also be in class.
Trinton was born just after 5pm, Trajun about 12:48am. The girls don't count because they were scheduled.
If this is a girl, we get to break the flow of girls getting c-section, boys natural. This even applies to mom and dad! Taleah, Taya, and I were all c-section, the guys all natural (doesn't mean without drugs.)

What's happening with baby:
Your baby-to-be's lungs are developing rapidly, although she'd probably need a little help breathing if she were born at this point. Her respiratory system continues to develop, her nostrils are open, and she can breathe—but she won't take her first breath of air until delivery day. Her reproductive organs are formed (in boys, the testes have descended). Her skin is translucent and wrinkled, and he can hear your stomach when it gurgles and your voice when you sing. Your baby is becoming more aware of how she can move—she's wiggling her fingers and toes!
Your baby has grown to about one pound, eight ounces and she's nearly nine inches long (crown to rump).

Lately Junior has been having hiccups several times a day. He usually is head down making the thumping forward and below my belly button. One night I thought he was kicking but it was too rhythmic for kicking; baby had turned and had his shoulder against my belly button. The bumps were mid belly and I felt them stronger than usual.
We have been listening to baby's heartbeat again. Good to have the Doppler back. We have heard a steady little train engine. When active, baby's heartbeat tends toward 150, when still toward 130. I think that means girl, but I forget which way it goes. At this point, we have a 50/50 chance.

Big surprise!

No, we are not having twins! We are having a baby sooner than expected! I had a period after the baby was already conceived, so we were a bit off with dates. So...

Baby is 22 weeks 5 days. Only 121 days to go until January 20th. The ultrasound showed a very active baby, but I could not even see the screen. The scanner is 20 years old, or at least that is when the hospital bought it. Travis said he could make out a few things but it was definitely not new technology.

I am having little contractions with walking and standing. I will be on modified bed rest until I stop having them. Hope that's not on January 20th! So all is well and my belly is growing fast. Funny that I was thinking that this Thursday meant 20 weeks, half way, but here we are ahead of schedule!

Baby's growth: Your baby's brain is growing daily. Her senses are also starting to develop. She can hear the sound of your heart along with your breathing. As she wiggles her fingers, she may touch her face or even suck her thumb. Her lungs are becoming more mature, and she even goes through the motions of breathing. She can also swallow, although she won't have her first real meal until delivery day.

Your baby-to-be reaches about 7.6 inches in height (crown to rump) and weighs in at just over 12 ounces.

I saw this great slide show comparing the size of a fetus to produce. It is called Poppy seed to Pumpkin. How big is your Baby? Click Here for the slide show. Below is the "size" of the baby this week.

Another Thursday!

Oh boy! We are coming along. 19 weeks today (17 weeks gestation). I feel like I grew 8 inches around the belly in the past week. Well, let's see... Groan, almost 10 inches since pre-pregnancy. I have vowed to myself that I will get back down to a size 8 by the time the baby is 1 year! I am just so sick of people saying that I am Sharayah and Shannon's big sister and meaning it as a fat joke! I will post pics tonight of me sideways. I think I am carrying high, but you tell me.

This week in baby's development: Your unborn baby's organs continue to grow. His body is covered with lanugo—soft hairs and a sticky protective coating that keeps his skin from drying out in the amniotic fluid. Your baby is moving frequently, and by now you should be able to feel those movements. Your physician can hear your baby-to-be's heartbeat with a stethoscope placed on your abdomen.
Baby is covered in vernix, a white, cheesy "cream" that protects her skin from the long bath in amniotic fluid. Preemies are covered in vernix at birth—"posties" have almost none.
Your little one weighs in at around seven ounces and he's between five and six inches long (crown to rump).

Tomorrow is Thursday, our day for counting a new week. It has been a while since I last posted. It has been crazy around here, but I am back now.
Tomorrow baby turns 18 weeks new (16 weeks gestation). Lately the baby has been moving so much and last week I felt a very hard kick up into my stomach, it feels like a field goal.

Around this time your baby's ears pop from his head and Baby-to-be can now sense sounds. After all, he has plenty to listen to in utero! He's accustomed to the strong beating of your heart, blood rushing through your veins, and your stomach grumbling. He can also discern sounds outside the uterus, like your voice and music. Although, according to the Mayo Clinic, whether he can distinguish the sound of your voice versus other sounds is not yet clear.
This week your little one weighs in at around five ounces and stretches to just over five inches (crown to rump).

We loaned the baby Doppler to our friend who is due in 3 weeks, so no thump-thump for about a month. Also, the darling baby jacket I made is at her place. I am planning on making her a newborn size jacket because the one I left there is preemie size. It probably won't fit her baby boy for long, if at all. They are elated to see different baby items.

I am planning on trying EC for the new baby. EC stands for Elimination Communication, kinda baby potty training, but more natural. I am just sick of dealing with so many diapers and there are many "undeveloped" nations around the world that do not use disposable diapers or even reusable diapers. I remember reading of the early Native Americans who placed their infants in baby boards and would take them out to hold them in a squat on the ground to poo and pee. Why not now where we have in house plumbing and flush toilets?
So this blog is going to go past just pregnancy and I will change the heading from Pregnancy to whatever when the time comes.
The time is passing. Babyzone.com shows me as 17 weeks, 6 days with 155 days left until February 11, 2010. Tick-tock!

15 weeks

I have started going by "regular" weeks on the 40 week schedule. It was getting some people confused about how far along I am.



I have not been posting lately. The bad weather came through and then my internet went haywire, so I am using Travis' pc to post.



A look at baby: Your baby weighs about 1.75 ounces and is about 4 to 4.5 inches in length. His or her heart is growing strong and, even though it is little, it is pumping between 20 and 25 quarts of blood every 24 hours. By the time you are ready to deliver, your baby's heart will be circulating up to 300 quarts of blood every 24 hours. Many fetuses develop their future hairline pattern this week, although it can take quite a bit longer for some babies' hairline or hair to fully develop. (Thanks to http://www.parentingweekly.com/)



Me: I am feeling more heartburn and tiredness. I almost retch at the thought of vitamins. Lately I have an aversion to chicken. Just can't stand it in any form. The baby is moving in more regular patterns. More wake and sleep, kicking about 10 minutes after I eat. I am beginning to wonder if I miscounted, but I am absolutely sure on LMP.

I am showing more and can't hide it except under a huge baggy t-shirt.

14 week image of baby

I wanted to include a few pictures since I have not kept up with pictures here lately. These images are from the web since I have not had an ultrasound. I don't plan on having one unless it is medically necessary.

This is a baby at 14 weeks (12 weeks gestation). This is what Junior looks like right now This picture shows what this size baby would look like compared to an adult's hand.

Today I felt the baby jumping around. It feels like I have an octopus on caffeine in there. Or at least quadruplets.

I have been working on a baby sweater. I misread the pattern and knitted it with needles that are too small. Instead of a 0-6 month sweater, I ended up with a preemie sweater. This is fine since my babies are small at birth, but they will grow out of it fast.

I am thinking of buttons to put on it, but have not thought of the exact kind, but will take suggestions. I was thinking of making some out of wood or bamboo, we have plenty here. But that requires some tools I do not have yet. Maybe I will buy some buttons from the retailer here and be done with it. Or I could crochet some buttons if I can find my errant crochet hook.

Each of our children has been small at birth:

Trevin 5 lb. 13 oz.
Trinton 6 lb. 10 oz.
Taleah 3 lb. 0 oz.
Taya 4 lb. 14 oz.
Trajun 5 lb. 9 oz.

Thinking about February

On a suggestion from my sister, I am looking at buying a kiddie pool for labor and possibly delivery. I can buy one here in Dominica, which I will end up doing, but I am also looking into an inflatable pool to pad me from the hard concrete it will be on.

I found a good chair that I like to sit in and will be comfortable even then. I think it is an adirondack style.

Taleah is playing "fort" under my bed. They think that since the cat fits under there, they will too.

Trinton in his "fork".

Taleah and Trajun are playing well today. They have been packing around the mini backpacks like they are taking a hike.

This morning we heard the heartbeat of the baby. A little train is residing in my belly. I am glad we bought the doppler for home use. It is a FaceLake Pocket Fetal Doppler. We bought it on Amazon.com.

We tried once before but the baby kept moving everywhere and we could not get a good reading. This morning we heard a steady chug, chug, chug at 140 beats per minute. This means a healthy baby.

I have been having nasty heartburn. That is one of the many pregnancy things I can do without. But I do love the end result!

Today is another Thursday...

12 weeks gestation (14 weeks) today. I continue to find clothing in my wardrobe that does not fit. I don't want to bring out the bigger clothing yet because I just have a little bump, but my skirts and pants are too snug. One lady I knew wore her pants below her belly, but I have too much extra padding from other pregnancies. It would look like cake top, as opposed to muffin top. Some women's bellies are beautiful pregnant, mine is better left under clothing.


How the baby's growing:This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Move on over...

Lately I have noticed that my baby belly is growing fast. I know baby is not very big, but with the water and all the protection around the baby, it is fast feeling like a not-so-soft softball in my belly. I read that all my organs are moving over to make room for the baby belly. I had forgotten what early pregnancy is like. Funny since this is far from my first pregnancy. It has been over three years since I was at this stage in a pregnancy.
I am having nasty tasting regurge. Not exactly heartburn, but then again I don't eat very acidic foods. Well, not all the time. I do love my chocolate though!

A very important box came in the mail yesterday! My mom sent a flat rate box that contained "What to Expect When You're Expecting", "Emergency Childbirth", a BP cuff for Travis, a baby Doppler for me, and CHOCOLATE!!! Oh yeah, and Ziplocs--extremely important here, and equally as expensive. One box of gallon size Ziplocs in the store costs about $20 US!

I read about saving some stuff from now and putting it into a time capsule. I think I will do this for this baby, but also for the other children. I want then to have good memories of living in the Caribbean. We have enough bad ones--Trajun's seizures, hospital stays, nasty sores, the heat, the bugs, kidney stones, tonsillitis, being away from our friends and family, the list goes on...

To end on a good note: friends of ours are coming down for mid February to early March to see us after or during the time the baby is born. I will be so happy to have them. Our children get along well and we share many of the same interests. It will be fun!

Planning Baby's Wardrobe

I have searched for a list and have finally found one that gives what I need for a newborn. I guess I have to go neutral since I am going to "be surprised" like with our other children.

Here is my modified list of what I will be gathering for baby, and what mode of gathering I will use:

Any of the items without patterns I am searching for patterns or ideas.

Sewing
4-6 long-sleeved gowns
4-6 footed sleepers
4-6 lap shoulder tees (pattern from Martha Stewart kimono shirt)
4-6 onsies (pattern here)
4-6 pants
4-6 bibs
3-4 receiving blankets
3-4 hooded towel
Diaper stacker (pattern here)
Diaper bag (pattern here)
Baby quilt (pattern here)
Lap quilt (pattern here)
Changing pad (pattern here)


Knitting and Crocheting
2-4 pairs no-seam booties from Pickin' and Throwin' (pattern here)
1 sweater set with extra caps (boy's cardigan & cap pattern from FamilyCircle's easyCrochet Fall 2006 issue) Replaced with pattern I found on the web for button front knit sweater.

Buy
Socks

Does anyone have a yearning to sew or knit for a baby? I would love help!

Update 8/12

I decided to change a little bit on my wardrobe for baby.
I am using a pattern I found on the web for knitting a sweater set since I am much better at knitting than crocheting.
I know there could be a huge debate on which is easier, but I prefer knitting as it creates a looser, softer fabric. Crocheting is great for a denser, stiffer fabric. Maybe it is because I don't have the right size hook, or maybe my tension is too tight, but crocheting is not working for the baby sweater. I started the one from easyCrochet and had to pull it out because I did not like it.

Besides, my baby and my friend's baby will not need a heavier sweater. Both babies will be in the Caribbean and then the US for summer, not to mention that they both will outgrow these sweaters before they reach cold weather.

11 weeks gestation (13 weeks)

This past Thursday was another week counted toward my due date.

Here is some info on baby:
Week 13 marks a milestone for your baby-to-be. Developmentally speaking she's no longer an embryo, but a fetus. She's looking—and acting—more and more like a baby every day. She appears to be resting because her eyelids have formed and are fused together, but her arms and legs move and twitch (although you probably can't feel it … yet). She can suck her thumb, too.
Your baby is about the size of a lime! She's growing heavier at around .5 to .7 ounces and is getting longer at about three inches long (crown to rump).

And me: I am feeling much better now. I still have a hard time chopping and cooking garlic (expect cooking in a soup). I am able to chop onions now. I have less nausea except when I smell Roseau and have winding bus rides, especially one after another!
I crave Mexican and Chinese food always. Last Sunday we had a chicken soup with bean thread noodles (you know, the clear Chinese thin noodles, saiphoon) and then taco salad. Today we had nachos. Tomorrow I plan bean burritos. Hopefully I can find a good recipe for homemade enchilada sauce and then I can make enchiladas.
I have been making my own sauces and seasonings since it is hard or impossible to buy certain ones here. The food that most locals cook is basic and very bland. They use salt to make up for lack of seasonings.
The seasonings they have here don't always make it into their cooking. Fresh seasonings I enjoy here are: thyme, parsley, seasoning peppers, chives (pronounced sive), green onion, yellow onion, garlic, seasoning celery (not as big as the US variety), and bay leaf. Every recipe I make, i add extra seasonings.

Movement

This morning I woke with a terrible headache and stomachache. Then I ran to the bathroom. Everything that I have eaten has flown through me. Trajun is also not feeling well.

I had a dream about peeing my pants in bed, so I got up to go to the bathroom. Then there was one where I was at an amusement park with my birth family as a child, but the weird twist was that I had children of my own! I can't make sense of some of the things I dream.

Last night we had taco salad! Yum, so glad we could afford the chips! I will make it more often, but with homemade tortillas instead. But, boy was that yummy!

I can feel my uterus now, very definite. Like a hard balloon on my bladder. And it will only get bigger. I feel it move around- not the baby itself, because it is still too little- but the whole uterus.

10 weeks gestation!

I am happy to be this far. Almost all of the nausea is gone. I can cook garlic and onions again!
I am still tired, but seem to have more energy every day.

What's going on with baby:
The end of the first trimester marks an important step for your baby-to-be. All of her major body systems are in place. In her digestive system, her small intestine is no longer entwined with the umbilical cord, but instead is tucked neatly within the abdomen. Her nervous system continues to develop, and her brain's structure is fully formed. Many of her organs are starting to work on their own, too. For instance, her thyroid begins to secrete hormones. Next week she'll no longer be considered an embryo, but instead graduates into a fetus. She's already looking more and more like the baby you're probably imagining—she even has tiny fingernails.
At 12 weeks, your baby weighs in around 1.5 ounces and measures about three inches in length (from crown to rump).

Nearing the end of the first trimester

Today I am so glad we have a holiday. I am glad that Travis can be home for today because I am still physically exhausted from the weekend. I cooked eggs with garlic and onions today - big mistake! I had to leave the kitchen and have Travis feed the kids. I just can't stand the smell still. I hope it goes away soon.
We are fast arriving on 10 weeks gestation (thursday), and I am excited for the first trimester to be behind me. I am going to celebrate by heading to the chiropractor's office and getting an adjustment. Hopefully getting out of the first trimester will mean no more nausea!

9 weeks gestation

I am 9 weeks gestation. I have been pretty tired lately and want to sleep all the time. I read that it is supposed to ease up pretty soon, by the end of the week 10 of gestation. I will be so happy.
I have been craving cheddar cheese like crazy. I suspect I need more calcium. And protein.

What's going on with the baby this week: Your baby-to-be's body still may look a little strange. At this point in development the head makes up nearly half of his body size. Don't worry, in the next few weeks the rest of his body will catch up. Right now, part of your baby's small intestine coils around the umbilical cord outside his body—this will change soon, too.
Your baby weighs in at about three-tenths of an ounce this week, and his length is just under two and one-half inches (crown to rump).

Mindless...

Have you ever felt like your mind left your body? I am feeling totally mindless. Yesterday morning I was making spaghetti sauce for lunch and took off the lid to stir the sauce. I remember thinking that if I hold my arm there, the steam will get me. Well, for some insane reason, my thought to move did not correlate with my body actions, and I ended up with a 2nd degree skin burn on my left arm. Duh! Move your arm!

I have had more episodes of mindless pregnant woman lately. This morning I went to lift the water filter and, being too heavy, it slipped out of my hands and created a flood on the kitchen floor. Dropping it also broke one of the filter candles.

I think I am on autopilot!

8 weeks pregnant

On Thursday I reached 8 weeks gestation. Here is some interesting info on what is going on with baby and my body:

Baby is somewhere between 1 and 1-1/2 inches in length and probably weighs about 4 grams (or as much as 4 paper clips). He or she has lips, toes, eyes that are usually open, ears that are completely formed, and the genitals are becoming more clearly defined. The little pollywog inside has lost its "tail" and this week marks the end of the embryonic stage and the beginning of the fetal stage!
This is what a baby looks like at 8 weeks gestation. You can see the ear buds, toes, and more. A tiny human. Baby has begun to look more like a mini baby than alien-like.

This photo is from a website that makes "micro-preemie" babies to show what size they are compared to objects outside the womb. Baby is still pretty tiny but will start to grow rapidly again soon.

I have been feeling better with less common, severe bouts of nausea. Maybe this means that I am reaching the point where nausea goes away and is replaced by euphoria! I hope.
I am still not showing, but I am uncomfortable with the waist band of skirts and jeans. If I want to lie down, pj pants are the best. Stretchy material at the waist band is best for going out of the house - glad I don't go out often.
And I guess the cat is out of the bag now. Relatives are finally finding out!
We are trying to find out how many people read our blog, so email us if you are reading this. tscarlile@gmail.com

Yesterday and today I have been feeling very puky. I have a major aversion to garlic and onions cooking. Tonight I started cooking hamburger and had Trevin cut up seasonings for hamburger gravy. After it had been cooking a while, I went out there to finish it and I thought I was going to be ok with the garlic and onion smell. NOT happening! So I had an ice pop for dinner instead.
I have felt queasy a lot. It does not help that Trajun is sick with a stomach bug. He has been puking and dry heaving all day. He seems to be holding his dinner so far. I won't hold my breath.

Friday night we had a little scare. I had a bit of spotting. Just once, but it was still scary. Travis kids me that it is the twin implanting! I quipped back that it was the triplet because we already had twins. Right.
But all is well, so maybe a little bit of movement or deeper implantation. I don't know what I will do if there is more than one. Just go on with life, I suppose.

Saturday I took it very easy. I napped and stayed mostly inactive. Today I did almost the same. I am noticing that I am more nauseous and smells affect me greatly. I usually love the smell of garlic and onions cooking. Not anymore. They make me very queasy.

I wonder how I will be on the plane on the 23rd. Better take an oil infused cloth and mints with me. I am debating taking my computer, but what if I am stuck in the airport for a long time. That will happen if we don't get a rental car and/or hotel room. I am hoping to go to Walmart and Costco, but I may just stay close to the beach and airport. So in the end, I will take my computer. If I end up not shopping, I will have a lot of time on my hands. If I get to shop, I will have a car and can leave my bag in the car.

Signing off.

7 weeks along!

Because of a 21 day cycle, I am 8 weeks from LMP and 7 weeks from conception. I go by the conceptual or gestational age.

The latest in this pregnancy is me starting to “show”. I was reading that my uterus is bigger than a grapefruit and the baby is the size of quarter. Funny to think it went from something microscopic to this size in only 7 weeks!

The heart is beating strong. The face looks more baby-like each day. The eyes are developed but concealed, and nose, lips, and ears are becoming more defined. Baby is also starting to exercise the expanding muscles. The fingers and toes are looking less like stubs. The reproductive organs are developing.

Here is a picture of a 7 week gestation baby. Not mine. They don't have that kind of technology here.

And here is what size the baby is compared to an wedding ring.

Just another day...

I was reading on a pregnancy website that my baby is about the size of a pencil eraser. So why does my belly feel swollen? Why can I not lie on my belly comfortably? I doesn't hurt that bad to lie on a pencil eraser!

I might not post again for awhile. I am feeling pretty sick lately.

I dislike vivid dreams!

I have been having vivid dreams in which someone dies or I have quadruplets. I know, highly unlikely, but as I said, they are vivid!
I started taking a cal/mag supplement right before I go to bed to relax my body. This has also helped in relaxing my mind and allowing me to sleep much deeper. And get rid of vivid dreams.

I don't mind the pregnancy, it is just some of the little things that affect me greater than I want. Like morning, aka 24/7, sickness and vivid dreams.

I watched a movie titled Labor Pains. Hilarious. Lindsay Lohan works for a very bad boss and she lies that she is pregnant to keep her job. Then she keeps on with her lie and it blows up in her face, literally. She has to use a balloon one day to fake her pregnancy and ends up having it pop in front of many people! It all turns out well in the end, but there are some very funny moments.

Diet, nutrition, health, and weight

Lately I haven't been eating very good things. I eat what I am able to when I am not sick. Mornings are terrible and then the sickness eases in the late afternoon. Then I am just plain hungry! and I eat whatever I can, end up overeating and feeling terrible again! And gaining weight.
So, I have given myself limits on the type and amount of food I may ingest. Morning is any fruit and a piece of toast. I allow fruit whenever I want, any amount. I allow any amount of veggies. I allow 6 oz of meat each day, if I want it. And carbs are restricted to a very small serving of simple carbs, fruit not included, and 2 servings of complex carbs. This allows for more than my colitis diet and is already having the effect of my losing the water retention that has blown up in the past week.
I am also making sure I drink plenty of water and taking vitamins each day.
I still won't step on the scale until I have lost a little more pudge. No sense in gaining too much weight. And if I can gain muscle instead, great.
I am refusing to allow colitis entrance. It has no place in my life.
I slept 11 hours last night. I felt like going to bed at 7pm, so I went. I slept very well through the night, woke a few times and drifted back to sleep. A little after 6am I woke with the kids and still felt like I could sleep, but children need watching!
This part of the blog will be just daily rumminations. No pictures yet!

Mint in moderation

I think I am gaining weight from all the mint I am ingesting! I am afraid to step on the scale!! I need to eat less mint and drink more water, even though I already drink a ton of water each day, it seems.
Maybe more lime water to satisfy the queasies. Anyone have a good suggestion?
We are planning a homebirth here in Dominica. We will see how it goes. I want a waterbirth. I have wanted one since I was pregnant with Trinton. So maybe I'll get one! But the shower-only problem will have to be remedied.
I don't know if there will be any ultrasound pictures to put on here. There won't be any until at least 14 weeks when they start using on-the-belly transducers.

Early Pregnancy Blahs!

Today I am feeling blue. Maybe it is the rain, maybe it is hormones, maybe it is anything! Now I just can't wait for it to be over!
Maybe when I reach next trimester I will enjoy it more. Until then, I am eating my weight in mint!

Morning Sickness! Ugh

I have been dealing with morning sickness for a week now. Nasty business. Hope it doesn't last the whole pregnancy like it did with Trinton.
We are not letting our children know about the pregnancy until late August or early September. That way we will be sure to make it past the if-y stage.

Happy News!

We are expecting! Due (so far) February 18, 2010. This will be the 6th little Carlile in our family. I took a pregnancy test on the 9th of June and it showed a light line for the second one. And no period to date. I was on a 3 week cycle with the last May 14th. So, baby here we come. I will try to blog every day, but hey, I do have 5 kids!