Week 35 - April 10, 2012
Poppy is a 5 or 6 pound butternut squash (by Dr.Crites' estimation) eagerly awaiting her May 8th debut.
My Obgyn visits are weekly now. These meetings are generally uneventful. Dr. Crites just takes the baby's heartbeat with her anachronistic doppler device, measures my bump, allows me to complain about the inconvenience that is pregnancy for about 1.5 minutes, then sends me on my way.
Today’s visit was a bit different. I was outside, sitting on a bench waiting for Matt to arrive when I started seeing stars – static, fiery pops of color. Yes, I am now to the point where it is uncomfortable (sometimes unbearably so) to sit in a chair. Oh how the not-so-mighty have fallen.
Things don't go much better in the waiting room. While I'm lying on the examination table I begin to sweat from the discomfort of laying on my back. I shift from side to side so as to pass out. I end up having to lay on my side on the floor instead of on the examination table that is apparently for very short people.
While Matt, Dr. Crites and I are chatting about my near perpetual discomfort I casually drop the following into the conversation:
'You know Dr. Crites, this is really the only child I want to have. I've even thought about asking you to tie my tubes during the c-section.'
Dr. Crites: 'Well, I don't generally do that unless we have talked about it before the pregnancy, or at the very beginning. You see Paige, if you ask any woman in her eighth month of pregnancy which child this is that she is having, she will likely say "the last one". The pain and discomfort that women feel during the eighth month make them think that they want to close the factory.'
In conclusion, if Dr. Crites were to consent to tying the tubes of her frustrated patients who are at the end of their third trimesters....she would have a lot fewer subsequent babies to deliver. I guess Dr. Crites' policy is the best way to go – it’s better for her baby birthin’ business (more babies birthed per patient) and it probably avoids some lawsuits.
My Obgyn visits are weekly now. These meetings are generally uneventful. Dr. Crites just takes the baby's heartbeat with her anachronistic doppler device, measures my bump, allows me to complain about the inconvenience that is pregnancy for about 1.5 minutes, then sends me on my way.
Today’s visit was a bit different. I was outside, sitting on a bench waiting for Matt to arrive when I started seeing stars – static, fiery pops of color. Yes, I am now to the point where it is uncomfortable (sometimes unbearably so) to sit in a chair. Oh how the not-so-mighty have fallen.
Things don't go much better in the waiting room. While I'm lying on the examination table I begin to sweat from the discomfort of laying on my back. I shift from side to side so as to pass out. I end up having to lay on my side on the floor instead of on the examination table that is apparently for very short people.
While Matt, Dr. Crites and I are chatting about my near perpetual discomfort I casually drop the following into the conversation:
'You know Dr. Crites, this is really the only child I want to have. I've even thought about asking you to tie my tubes during the c-section.'
Dr. Crites: 'Well, I don't generally do that unless we have talked about it before the pregnancy, or at the very beginning. You see Paige, if you ask any woman in her eighth month of pregnancy which child this is that she is having, she will likely say "the last one". The pain and discomfort that women feel during the eighth month make them think that they want to close the factory.'
In conclusion, if Dr. Crites were to consent to tying the tubes of her frustrated patients who are at the end of their third trimesters....she would have a lot fewer subsequent babies to deliver. I guess Dr. Crites' policy is the best way to go – it’s better for her baby birthin’ business (more babies birthed per patient) and it probably avoids some lawsuits.
http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/35-weeks-pregnant.aspx
Week 33 - March 29, 2012
Poppy is a 4.5 pound honeydew melon.
At my OBGYN appointment this week, Dr. Crites said that Poppy is of average size and that she is still breech. My appointments are bi-monthly now, but after the next one they will be weekly. These meetings are generally uneventful. Dr. Crites just takes the baby's heartbeat with her anachronistic looking doppler device, measuresmy bump, allows me to vent for about 1.5 minutes, then sends me on my way.
One of my professors advised me to go ahead and get Poppy enrolled in some sort of child-care situation for fall. It will only be for 3 days a week, 1-2 hours each day, but apparently I should enroll her in some sort of 'Mommies Day Out' situation, and that it might have to be at multiple churches.
So I walk in to the Highland Park United Methodist Church daycare looking a bit lost. The lady at the front desk says 'May I help you?'. To which I respond with an eloquent 'Um...I am having a baby and I need somewhere to put it from 1-2 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays come fall.'
The proprietor at the tells me that families enroll their kids in January for the coming Fall. She reacted to mypuzzled expression (a common look for me these days) by saying 'Yea, I know, just like college.'
The bump says to go ahead and install the car seat, so Matt is doing that this weekend.
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois mes amis!
http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/33-weeks-pregnant.aspx
Week 29 - February 24, 2012
Poppy is an acorn squash.
Total weight gain: 20 pounds.
Ladies, I must tell you that the essential ingredient to bridging your wardrobe through a pregnancy is yoga clothes. Specifically, Lululemon and Hardtail have helped me not to look as though I’ve given up completely. Yoga pants and tops have what pregnant women need: structure and support via lycra and spandex. Plus, I am still in my pre-pregnancy yoga pants and that’s a confidence booster right there. Boom. The structured yoga tops with removable support cups are great (though you unavoidably look like uni-boob). Lululemon has some tops that are really long which is useful for my horizontally expanding mid-section.
I feel her moving pretty much all day now. I’ve also been having this sensation in my feet and calves...they feel like they might explode when I put pressure on them. Clearly there is more blood in my body in general (5 pounds more by the end of it all), and my legs and feet are swollen. But they don’t look swollen at all. Matt checked. Matt also says that I have been more forgetful lately, but I can’t recall what he is referring to. Unfortunately, science says that a pregnant women’s brain temporarily shrink by 3-5%. At least I was able to remember that.
Until next week-
http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/29-weeks-pregnant.aspx
Week 27 - February 10, 2012
Salut tout le monde-
Poppy is 14 inch cauliflower. How about that-
She is breathing now. Not air of course, just amniotic fluid. Yum. It's funny that even that makes me miss wine. Not to worry, since I'm in the 3rd trimester now I won't be yodeling complaints about wine abstinence for much longer. A fact that excites Matt greatly I'm sure.
I've been dodging the seemingly obligatory gestational diabetes blood test this week. This is where they take your blood, give you a sugary drink, wait 2 hours, then take you blood again to see if you have gestational diabetes. Apparently the placenta can excrete a hormone that messes with the way you process glucose; enter gestational diabetes. They treat it with a healthy diet accompanied by exercise. Well, I'm already doing that (I've been doing 1 hour of cardio 5 days a week...generally a fast-paced walk on the ol' tread mill). Plus, I've got an intuitive feeling that I don't have diabetes, gestational or otherwise. So, I skipped the blood test this week in protest of superfluous blood work. The result: Matt will be accompanying me to the doctor next Wednesday and getting the test too. If I'm a good girl, I'll get a lolly pop at the end.
For about a year now, I have been planning to do my Masters Thesis (for my Masters degree in French and Francophone Studies to begin next year (inch' allah)) on the differences between French and American parenting. So naturally, I have been looking forward to the release of Pamela Druckerman's book 'Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting' since I discovered it a few months back. It came out this week. Having spent some time in France myself, I can attest to Druckerman's observation that French children are generally calmer and better behaved than their American counterparts. From what I saw, they seem to be a joy to have with you at restaurants as they are not throwing their food or running around. I'll let you guys know if Druckerman figured out their secret-
Week 26 - February 3, 2012
Poppy is a head of lettuce with fully formed eyelashes. Now, there's a great visual.
In just 2 more weeks, I will be in the blessed 3rd trimester. We are getting our baby furniture from this ultra modern baby furniture company called Duc Duc (like Duc Duc goose...get it?). Yep, Poppy is going to have sexier and sleeker bedroom furniture than Matt and I do. I attached a picture of the crib that Matt's mom ordered for us. It's fantastic-
My uterus has been tightening and relaxing quite a bit lately, which feels pretty crazy. The bump says that Braxton Hicks contractions are normal at my gestational stage. There's quite a bit of activity going on in there. Honestly, I can't distinguish between the hiccups, the Braxton Hicks contractions, the aggressive kicks, etc.. It feels like someone is conducting some sort of work out program. Perhaps she's doing a fancy jujitsu dance to stay in shape. Well, more power to her. At least one of us has the energy and lung capacity for that kind of activity.
A few weeks ago, I came across this article in the travel section of the Times. It's begins by saying-
'WHEN Yolanda Edwards gave birth to her daughter, Clara, friends said her traveling days were done. Refusing to accept this, she booked a trip to England from New York when Clara was five weeks old, and from then on, they often joined her husband, a photographer, on assignments.'
Basically, Poppy is going to be a traveling adventure baby. In fact, I invite you guys to stay tuned for The Adventures of Paige and Poppy blog. You betcha.
This woman, Yolanda Edwards, has a blog with tips about traveling with children:
Week 24 - January 27, 2012
Poppy is a 2 pound eggplant. This is week 25, meaning that I am nearly 6 months pregnant. It is tempting to divide the number of weeks by 4 to get to the number of months pregnant I am. But since there is only one month per year that has only 4 weeks in it, to divide by 4 would be (and has been) misleading.
The Bump talks about a dark line that can appear, running from your belly button downward. It's called the linea nigra (which makes me think of Niagra Falls). I don't have this line. I am, however, having more trouble sleeping...so I am increasingly tired.
One thing that has perked up my pregnancy in general was my recent purchase of maternity pants. I will admit that the amount of pleasure I get from these pants is a bit sad. Okay, really sad. I purchased them at this little shop called 'Pickles and Ice Cream'. The cheery clerk offered her assistance while I was eyeing some black J Brand jeans. I told her that am a size 26 when I'm not pregnant, but I don't know (nor do I really want to) what size I am as a pre-natal person. She lit up and said "YOU ARE STILL A SIZE 26!". I can not convey to you how happy this made me. I don't know if this is just a tactic employed by upscale jean designers, but for J Brand at least, they adapt the maternity jeans to the pregnant woman. They add some lycra, take out the hips a bit, stitch in some elastic on the belly, but leave the same size tag on them. So whatever size you were before you got pregnant, is the size you are now. This was a genius move particularly when considering the oft-erratic mental state of pregnant women. There are so many changes going on for them, so many things they cannot control, that this small gesture is huge. At least to me, as I don't recall having ever been happier spending $200 on a pair of jeans.
À la semaine prochaine-
Week 23 - January 13, 2012
Poppy is still a Papaya. Apparently papayas smell, but that's okay.
We had a sonogram on Monday and they gave us the attached picture. The bump says that Poppy's face is fully formed now, which is fairly obvious on the pic. The sonographers said that she weighs a whole pound now. Apparently, they've done all the tests that they can and the baby is forming perfectly. They didn't even schedule another sonogram appointment with us. I'm convinced they were annoyed by Matt's projections of Poppy's SAT scores based on the pictures we saw of her brain.
The bump says that I should be swollen now, but I'm not. I've been keeping up the cardio so perhaps that's why. It's incredibly uncomfortable for me to run, so I've been walking fast on the treadmill for one hour per day 4 or 5 times per week. This makes me feel a bit more in control of my state of being and makes up for the fact that Dallas is a driving (as opposed to a walking) city.
Until next week-
http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy/second-trimester/articles/your-pregnancy-week-23.aspx?MsdVisit=1
21 weeks - December 30, 2011
Bonjour tout le monde-
Poppy is a nearly foot long banana this week. I don't have any more pains in my uterus, but I still can't feel her moving around in there. My next sonogram is January 9th.
I have finally found a parenting book that I like. It's called 'How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk'. Apparently it presents alternatives to nagging and saying 'no' all the time.
20 weeks - December 23, 2011
Poppy says Merry Christmas. She is a nearly 1 pound cantaloupe this week. My ligaments are apparently in stretch mode to make room for Poppy in my uterus, so I have shooting pains pretty steadily. I am officially five months (though my bump is still far from obvious ((insert frowny face here))). Love you guys...
19 weeks - December 16, 2011
Poppy is a mango this week. She weighs well over half a pound and is 6 inches long. Next week I will be 5 months. I had an appointment with my obgyn yesterday and the heartbeat is 152 (normal and healthy). She also says that I will be feeling Poppy kick and move by my next visit in a month's time. Dr. says that I will be feeling her all the time-
18 weeks - Dec 9, 2011
Poppy has been cooking for 18 weeks and is now a sweet potato. I do love sweet potatoes.I had another ultrasound/sonogram (which are the same thing as far as I can tell) this week as well as more blood-work. Everything looked great and the genetic screening came back negative (meaning that Poppy probably doesn't have a cleft lip, autism, or a variety of other genetic disorders).Since she can hear things outside the womb now, I have my belly buds on quite a bit (Beethoven, French literature readings, etc..). My hands and feet aren't swollen like the bump says they might be at this point which is probably b/c I've been keeping up the cardio and thus my circulation.Caroline and I had quite a run at Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us, finally finishing my baby registry. It's great that she was there because I had no idea. It has been fun learning about the vast and daunting world of baby consumerism from her (she is a mother of four, including a 6 month old...). The shower will be sometime in March.Until next week...Cheers-
No comments:
Post a Comment