I officially am due next monday or tuesday (depending on which chart I look at), but I'm kind of hoping it will be before that. My tummy is huge, as you can see below (sure, laugh all you like at my swimsuit edition photo, I can take it!), and there is a very squirmy person hiding inside it who we are very curious to meet.
Went to the midwife again yesterday and everything is still going fine - it's just a waiting game now. We made an appointment for next week, but we are not expecting to keep it.
I've been really hungry this week, and also a lot more tired - I've been having afternoon sleeps which is good.
And in the last couple of weeks since my tummy is stretching so much I have finally managed to develop some stretch marks - not too bad though, and I'm sure I can get rid of them once I shrink again.
I'm all ready and waiting! Looking forward to some time out at Birthcare as well - it is kind of like a hotel/hospital. Should be nice.
If you have a pxt phone and want me to send you a picture after the birth, please email me and I'll make a list.
Off to find me some snacks now...
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
I LOOK SO FUNNY! Here is my last pregnancy picture I will post. I am 9 months / 39 weeks. So I decided to do a special swimsuit edition just so you can see how crazy pregnant bodies are! But luckily I haven't put on any/much weight anywhere else so I'm hoping to return to a normalish size pretty soon.
Our baby's development 39 weeks
Your baby's ready to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) Your baby's organs are fully developed and in place, and the outer layers of skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
If the week passes and your baby stays put, don't panic. Only 5 percent of babies are born on their scheduled due date. And your baby can't make you wait indefinitely for his arrival. If you go past your due date, your provider will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue.
Ok, I am all ready for the baby to come ANY TIME NOW.... I certainly don't want to be induced (after learning about what they do at antenatal class).
If the week passes and your baby stays put, don't panic. Only 5 percent of babies are born on their scheduled due date. And your baby can't make you wait indefinitely for his arrival. If you go past your due date, your provider will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue.
Ok, I am all ready for the baby to come ANY TIME NOW.... I certainly don't want to be induced (after learning about what they do at antenatal class).
Sunday, November 27, 2005
No news yet
Ok, well I made it through Gran's funeral and work this weekend without going into labour. I've officially finished work now and get 14 weeks maternity leave (yay!), and I have nothing planned for the rest of the week. So I could have a baby any time now.
I have a midwife appointment on Tuesday (if required), and then I have my first antenatal Coffee Group meeting on Friday.... so it is entirely possible I could have the baby and be out of hospital between now and then, and be able to take our new baby to coffee group! (By the way, coffee group is just the name for the antenatal group that all the women from my classes go to - I certainly hope it doesn't mean we all sit around and drink coffee, since that would be a problem for our breastfed babies!)
Anyway, we shall see what happens this week. I feel like I am getting head-butted from the inside, so perhaps someone is thinking about making an appearance...
I have a midwife appointment on Tuesday (if required), and then I have my first antenatal Coffee Group meeting on Friday.... so it is entirely possible I could have the baby and be out of hospital between now and then, and be able to take our new baby to coffee group! (By the way, coffee group is just the name for the antenatal group that all the women from my classes go to - I certainly hope it doesn't mean we all sit around and drink coffee, since that would be a problem for our breastfed babies!)
Anyway, we shall see what happens this week. I feel like I am getting head-butted from the inside, so perhaps someone is thinking about making an appearance...
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Still no baby...
Nope, no baby yet, so I made it to my antenatal class tonight much to everyone's surprise! After last week's paranoia creation, everyone thought I would not be there......but it turns out one of the other ladies had her baby instead! (quite early though, so I hope everything is ok - we didn't know any details except that she was in the hospital instead of at our class). Tonight was our last class, and next week our official 'Coffee Group' starts, where we all meet up weekly and bring our babies and share all our issues. Should be fun! I am the next one due, and then the rest of the ladies are due mid-late dec, so I guess I get to be the guineapig for everything.
Today Dan and I went on a tour of Birthcare, which is the postnatal hospital where I get to stay for 3 days after having the baby. Basically, we have the baby at the hospital, and then after a couple of hours when we are ok to move around, we get transferred to Birthcare. So if anyone wants to come to visit me (once you know I've had the baby), I will be at Birthcare, 20 Titoki St, Parnell (it runs parallel to Parnell Rd, but is on the edge of the Domain near the museum). I get 3 days free accomodation there if I choose a twin room, or I can pay $250 a day and have a private room. However we discovered today that they have millions of rooms and there were heaps and heaps of empty ones so we figured I'd try my luck with a share room and hopefully get no room-mate, and then if I do and it's dumb, then I can get a private room.
This baby is very squirmy and is starting to really hurt me now that he is so big and is running out of room. Another REALLY annoying thing that has happened is that I have turned into a giant FRECKLE FACE!!!! NOOOO!!!! I had managed to fade away my stupid freckles (haven't been outside in forever), but silly hormonal changes interfere with the melanin production in your skin and can make freckles more prominent and darken random areas of skin. STUPID FRECKLES! Dan just laughs at me, so I get no sympathy. Oh well, I suppose its really about the worst symptom of my pregnancy, so that is actually doing very well indeed.
I have to make it through Gran's funeral tomorrow without having the baby (we are taking my hospital bags in the car just in case we need to make a hasty departure), and then I am meant to be working this weekend for the last time, so the baby can come anytime from Monday onwards.
I'll be waiting.
Today Dan and I went on a tour of Birthcare, which is the postnatal hospital where I get to stay for 3 days after having the baby. Basically, we have the baby at the hospital, and then after a couple of hours when we are ok to move around, we get transferred to Birthcare. So if anyone wants to come to visit me (once you know I've had the baby), I will be at Birthcare, 20 Titoki St, Parnell (it runs parallel to Parnell Rd, but is on the edge of the Domain near the museum). I get 3 days free accomodation there if I choose a twin room, or I can pay $250 a day and have a private room. However we discovered today that they have millions of rooms and there were heaps and heaps of empty ones so we figured I'd try my luck with a share room and hopefully get no room-mate, and then if I do and it's dumb, then I can get a private room.
This baby is very squirmy and is starting to really hurt me now that he is so big and is running out of room. Another REALLY annoying thing that has happened is that I have turned into a giant FRECKLE FACE!!!! NOOOO!!!! I had managed to fade away my stupid freckles (haven't been outside in forever), but silly hormonal changes interfere with the melanin production in your skin and can make freckles more prominent and darken random areas of skin. STUPID FRECKLES! Dan just laughs at me, so I get no sympathy. Oh well, I suppose its really about the worst symptom of my pregnancy, so that is actually doing very well indeed.
I have to make it through Gran's funeral tomorrow without having the baby (we are taking my hospital bags in the car just in case we need to make a hasty departure), and then I am meant to be working this weekend for the last time, so the baby can come anytime from Monday onwards.
I'll be waiting.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
No baby yet...
Well this time last week I was hoping to make it to at least this time this week, and I have. My next goal is to make it through this weekend, then I can have the baby. (Gran passed away this morning and I would really like to be able to go to the funeral). In some ways I think it is nice how things have turned out - the closing of one amazing life story, and the beginning of another.
I just came back from my midwide appointment, and she says the baby has moved into the optimum position for birth, and his head is very low down in my pelvis - all good signs that the baby is getting nice and ready to make his way into the world.
I just came back from my midwide appointment, and she says the baby has moved into the optimum position for birth, and his head is very low down in my pelvis - all good signs that the baby is getting nice and ready to make his way into the world.
We've been getting baby presents this week!!! It's so exciting getting all sorts of cute little things, so thanks everyone! This one in the photo is just so unique and clever that I had to put it on my blog before I undo it. It's a bunch of 'flowers' made from baby clothes! What a great idea! Thanks Rene and Diane :)
Saturday, November 19, 2005
We decided we needed some more clothes since the ones that I bought a few months ago are honestly going to last about half a day. So I went to the Pumpkin Patch clearance store and bought lots of cute things. Now that I have them, I guess they are not all that practical, but at least our baby will look groovy!
This is our styley stroller. It has about a thousand fittings you can add or subtract and make it big and giant, or just big. It looks really snuggly, and I really want to go for a ride! It even has a huge compartment underneath so I can take all my ebay parcels to the post office each day while taking the baby for a walk :)
We bought a cool carseat from TradeMe! I was going to hire one from Plunket, but then I figured it would be a yukky one that 10 other babies would have pooed and vomited on, so I might as well buy a second hand one that has only had 1 baby in it, then I can resell it. Plus this one looks so much cooler than the other brands. It is made by "Phil and Ted's Most Excellent Buggy Company"! That cracked me up, but Dan thinks it is soooo lame.... tee hee
Not long now!!!
Yikes! Look at how much the butterfly has moved along! There are only a few days left..... eeek! Officially I have just over 2 weeks left of my 40 weeks, although the 40 weeks counts from 2 weeks BEFORE you actually get pregnant.
My tummy is so big and full and fat now, and is pointing down towards the ground rather than sticking out, so everyone (everyone is an expert of course) keeps telling me "Oh, the baby wont be long now - probably only a few more days!" Even at our antenatal class, our teacher said she didn't think I would make it to our class next week, and got everyone to compare their tummies to mine to point out how dropped mine is... NOW I'M ALL PARANOID! I went straight home from our class and packed my hospital bag, just in case. I must admit, I have been feeling a bit stranger these last few days - slightly achy, a bit sort of pre-periody crampy feeling, as well as an increase in the Braxton Hicks contractions (like practice contractions as your body gets ready), and today for the first time in my whole pregnancy I verged on a slight bit of emotional weirdness! (I have been very lucky and haven't had any emotional issues or hormonal imbalancy type annoying stuff so far). I just have to get through tomorrow at work (I had been saving up all my work for the weekend since I'm not working during the week at the moment), and once all my work is done, THEN I am free to have the baby :)
So it could be any time now! I'm thinking that all the things that are starting to happen are just getting my body prepared, and I have a feeling I will be at least a week away yet. So stay tuned! Things are about to get exciting!
My tummy is so big and full and fat now, and is pointing down towards the ground rather than sticking out, so everyone (everyone is an expert of course) keeps telling me "Oh, the baby wont be long now - probably only a few more days!" Even at our antenatal class, our teacher said she didn't think I would make it to our class next week, and got everyone to compare their tummies to mine to point out how dropped mine is... NOW I'M ALL PARANOID! I went straight home from our class and packed my hospital bag, just in case. I must admit, I have been feeling a bit stranger these last few days - slightly achy, a bit sort of pre-periody crampy feeling, as well as an increase in the Braxton Hicks contractions (like practice contractions as your body gets ready), and today for the first time in my whole pregnancy I verged on a slight bit of emotional weirdness! (I have been very lucky and haven't had any emotional issues or hormonal imbalancy type annoying stuff so far). I just have to get through tomorrow at work (I had been saving up all my work for the weekend since I'm not working during the week at the moment), and once all my work is done, THEN I am free to have the baby :)
So it could be any time now! I'm thinking that all the things that are starting to happen are just getting my body prepared, and I have a feeling I will be at least a week away yet. So stay tuned! Things are about to get exciting!
Our baby's development 34-38 weeks
Yes, yes I've been slack. Here is our baby's official development for the last few weeks so you can tell what is going on in my GIANT tummy:
34 weeks
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.
35 weeks
Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds and is just over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
36 weeks
Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery.
37 weeks
Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children are born blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
38 weeks
Your baby has really fattened up. She likely weighs between 6 and 7 1/2 pounds now (boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls), and she's probably between 19 and 20 inches long. She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test with your pinky! Her organs are fully developed and in place, but her lungs and brain — though developed enough for her to function now — will continue to mature right through childhood.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If your baby is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
34 weeks
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.
35 weeks
Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds and is just over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
36 weeks
Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery.
37 weeks
Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children are born blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
38 weeks
Your baby has really fattened up. She likely weighs between 6 and 7 1/2 pounds now (boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls), and she's probably between 19 and 20 inches long. She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test with your pinky! Her organs are fully developed and in place, but her lungs and brain — though developed enough for her to function now — will continue to mature right through childhood.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If your baby is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Minor drama this week
Yikes! I'm 36 weeks tomorrow! That means only 4 weeks to go.....it's getting very very close now!
We had a minor drama this last week, but nothing too much to be worried about. The midwife measures my tummy each visit, and this time I was measuring about 3 weeks short of what I should be so she sent me off for a scan just in case the baby had stopped growing. Dan and I weren't too worried because we are both small people, and the average sizings we are being compared to are taken from the rest of the population, and Asian/small genes are probably not well represented. Anyway, I went for the scan and they said things were fine and I was probably about 1½ weeks under the 'average' size so it was no big deal. Our baby is very low down in my pelvis which would have made the external measurement seem misleading. They also said the estimated weight at the moment is over 5 pounds, and I think the baby is meant to gain about ½ a pound a week from now, so if that is the case, he will be over 7 pounds when he is born and that is perfectly normal.
We went to the Parent and Child Expo last weekend to get bombarded with advertising and marketing towards new parents. There is so much stuff we can buy, but I don't know how much of it is essential. I wanted to buy a certain stroller, cot, breastpump and baby hammock there, and I ended up with the breastpump and hammock, and some other bits and pieces. I'll go buy the stroller I want tomorrow since that shop wasn't at the show! The cots at the show were too expensive, and there is a cot factory that advertises in every baby thing I've picked up, so they will be worth checking out.
The baby hammock looks fun - it hangs from the wall or ceiling, and then the baby snuggles into it and apparently its quite cosy for them. I'm going to hang it in my new Trading Room in our new place so I don't have to keep running upstairs all the time. Hmmm, running. Haven't been able to do that in ages (not that I would ever run for fitness or anything, just in short bursts, eg if it's raining). I'm basically a waddler now. I am big and giant and have a very heavy tummy.
I have hardly any clothes that fit - actually I have a pair of jeans, some trackpants and two skirts, and that's it. I really need more clothes, but I'm not going to buy anything that I'm only going to wear for 4 weeks max (I suppose our baby could come at any time now - but I'm hoping he will hold on for at least another 2 weeks). So I'm making do with wearing these clothes all the time, but it's getting so hot here.... And I can't wear pretty shoes either since all the extra weight makes my feet really hurt.
We moved into our new place this week, so that is exciting! I planted the vegetable garden in advance, so now things are sprouting. I have a big Trading Room for all our excess stuff we want to sell, and now that I'm not working during the week, I have time to slowly work through all the boxes and list everything. I have got so many bids at the moment on the various sites I list on - it's great getting rid of stuff and building up a baby fund!
We had a minor drama this last week, but nothing too much to be worried about. The midwife measures my tummy each visit, and this time I was measuring about 3 weeks short of what I should be so she sent me off for a scan just in case the baby had stopped growing. Dan and I weren't too worried because we are both small people, and the average sizings we are being compared to are taken from the rest of the population, and Asian/small genes are probably not well represented. Anyway, I went for the scan and they said things were fine and I was probably about 1½ weeks under the 'average' size so it was no big deal. Our baby is very low down in my pelvis which would have made the external measurement seem misleading. They also said the estimated weight at the moment is over 5 pounds, and I think the baby is meant to gain about ½ a pound a week from now, so if that is the case, he will be over 7 pounds when he is born and that is perfectly normal.
We went to the Parent and Child Expo last weekend to get bombarded with advertising and marketing towards new parents. There is so much stuff we can buy, but I don't know how much of it is essential. I wanted to buy a certain stroller, cot, breastpump and baby hammock there, and I ended up with the breastpump and hammock, and some other bits and pieces. I'll go buy the stroller I want tomorrow since that shop wasn't at the show! The cots at the show were too expensive, and there is a cot factory that advertises in every baby thing I've picked up, so they will be worth checking out.
The baby hammock looks fun - it hangs from the wall or ceiling, and then the baby snuggles into it and apparently its quite cosy for them. I'm going to hang it in my new Trading Room in our new place so I don't have to keep running upstairs all the time. Hmmm, running. Haven't been able to do that in ages (not that I would ever run for fitness or anything, just in short bursts, eg if it's raining). I'm basically a waddler now. I am big and giant and have a very heavy tummy.
I have hardly any clothes that fit - actually I have a pair of jeans, some trackpants and two skirts, and that's it. I really need more clothes, but I'm not going to buy anything that I'm only going to wear for 4 weeks max (I suppose our baby could come at any time now - but I'm hoping he will hold on for at least another 2 weeks). So I'm making do with wearing these clothes all the time, but it's getting so hot here.... And I can't wear pretty shoes either since all the extra weight makes my feet really hurt.
We moved into our new place this week, so that is exciting! I planted the vegetable garden in advance, so now things are sprouting. I have a big Trading Room for all our excess stuff we want to sell, and now that I'm not working during the week, I have time to slowly work through all the boxes and list everything. I have got so many bids at the moment on the various sites I list on - it's great getting rid of stuff and building up a baby fund!
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