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.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
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.
This comes from a really cool website Calgary Youth for Life http://www.c2g.ca/development.html
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:
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)