Week 40

Well the Stork found me again and blessed me with another wonderful gift.  Please welcome ;

Aiden James Fritz
Born June 20th @ 8:25 pm
Weighing 10lbs 13oz
22 1/4 " long

Thank you to everyone for your support.  I think once we all get settled, I will continue with this blog monthly just like for Bryce.

Week 39

I wonder (praying actually) if this will be my last weekly update?!  As much as I have enjoyed creating and growing this little (large) bundle, I am ready to evict him from his rent free room...or womb!

Shirt is stretched to MAX!

Well, I've been drinking that raspberry leaf tea like water....and it hasn't done a thing!  Let's hope it at least keeps the promise of "toning my uterus" for more effective contractions.  I have also eaten 2 pineapples, which did nothing but give me a canker sore on the tip of my tongue.  Then there is the bouncing on the exercise ball - which I think just makes Aiden want to stay in there for more bouncy fun.  So now we're going to have to get serious, meaning a "stretch and sweep" tomorrow at my Dr. appt.  :s  Of course I googled the process and am not really looking forward to it, but most say that it will trigger labour within 24-36 hours.  And with the size of this guy, I don't really want to roll past my due date!   I was thinking that June 13th would be a great birthday.  A birthday party for Bryce and Aiden spaced exactly 6 months apart!! lol

*UPDATE*  Home from my Doctor's appointment and had the "sweep" done.  Hmmmm...shouldn't have agreed so readily for that one!  OUCH!  She said I was only 1cm dilated which was a surprise as I figured I'd be a little farther along with all that heavy head grinding down there.  She did remind me of the scar tissue from the LEEP procedure and how that will probably delay my progress.  Now because of the "stretch and sweep" I'm 50% effaced and 2cms....but NO contractions. :(  Oh well. 2 down, 8 to go.  Maybe I'll have to try baking a Labour Cake?  http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com/2012/01/23/labor-cake-aka-a-reeeeally-chocolaty-cake/  Looks delicious even if it doesn't work!!

Bryce telling Aiden to come out!

What's happening with baby this week? "It's all about watching and waiting now, as your baby could arrive any day. Your baby could be up to 20" long, and weigh about 7lbs. But that's only an average figure. As soon as your baby is born, your Doctor will weigh him, and it's only then you'll know for sure how much he weighs. Your baby is shedding the greasy, white substance (vernix caseosa) which has been protecting his skin. This turns the amniotic fluid, which was once clear, pale and milky. The outer layers of your baby's skin are also sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. The hair on your baby's head may now be thick, and his fingernails extend beyond his fingertips. They may look long when he's born. Your baby's skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap as he passes through the birth canal during labour. This is the reason your baby's head may look cone-shaped after birth. And if the week passes and there's still no baby? Try not to worry – babies have a habit of not arriving on their scheduled due date. Most doctors wait another two weeks before considering a pregnancy overdue. Check out how to cope with being overdue."  (NO THANKS!) 

Week 38

This is a catch-up post since technically I'm in my 39 week.  I'm a pumpkin this week?  Sounds about right!

Well, I'm definitely feeling "done".  The novelty of being pregnant has worn off and I'm very ready to meet Aiden.  (Though I know I'll miss my belly in a couple of months-just like last time) At my weekly appointment, Dr. Daisy offered to do a "stretch and sweep" to hopefully induce labour.  I declined the offer ...as it really sounds less enjoyable than being pregnant for one more week but said I might reconsider at the next appointment.  ;)  We also discussed some other less invasive labour inducing strategies, including Raspberry Leaf Tea.  (Which I'm drinking as I type) It is touted as a uterine tonic and to be used during pregnancy in preparation for childbirth.  From what I've read, it can definitely stimulate contractions and also speed up labour.  Unfortunately no one says it helps lessen the pain!! 

I ran the idea of Placenta Encapsulation by her as well.  She laughed and said I was the 3rd person to mention it this week!  See...it's catching on!! lol  While she said it wasn't something she would consider herself (which is surprising because she seems like an "earth child") she said it would be worthwhile if I could reap the supposed benefits.  In any event, the cooler and large ziploc baggies are packed and ready to go.  Just need to put Tatiana on speed dial.

In my quest to breastfeed this time (lactation cookies, eating my own placenta), I have also purchased Fenugreek supplements.  It is a culinary spice found growing in the Mediterranean, and used for a multitude of health concerns including problems with lactation.  Fenugreek has been known to increase milk production in lactating women by over 500 percent within 24 to 72 hours after consuming this herb. Although it is not known why this happens, researchers speculate that the oil contained in fenugreek seeds plays a role. (Diosgenin which is similar to Estrogen)

No wonder my belly is so big!

What's happening with baby this week? "Your baby is completely ready to be born now, and is at full term. The average weight at 38 weeks is around 7lbs but of course this will vary with each baby. Developmentally and size-wise they are absolutely perfect little newborns, and the only remaining part of their pregnancy journey is meeting mum and dad!  Their organs are now all fully formed and ready for life outside their home for the past 9 months. One remaining change left to happen is the eye colour of your baby which will still be changing due to the lack of pigment. It’s common for babies to be born with blue for grey eyes but for these to turn green or brown after birth   They are most likely very low down in your tummy now, head engaged and just waiting for the release of the hormones which will get the contractions started to push them out! You are no doubt impatiently ticking the days off on the calendar now, and wondering every morning if today will be the day! Try and make the most of your last few days before baby arrives by getting as much rest as you can, ready to meet your newborn. Some mums are convinced that there are natural ways to get labour started when they get to this point in their pregnancy, from eating pineapples to having sex! If you are bored of waiting to meet your new baby son or daughter, you might want to try a few of them to see if there is any truth in the rumours! “

Week 37

14 days?!  What??  (Oops, I think I’m posting a week behind)

I was just waddling through Walmart this morning, picking up some last minute items for my hospital bag,  and a woman with 3 small boys said “oh poor you…must be soon eh”?  I replied “yes and looks like you have your hands full.”  She said she has FIVE boys!!  And here I was worried about the logistics of managing TWO!

At my last weekly appointment, I got to meet Dr. Daisy’s partner – Dr. Millar.  (Just in case he’s the one on call when I go into labour) He’s really awesome and put me at ease instantly.  He was/is the OB for several of my Paramedic colleagues and they had great things to say about him.   We chatted for a little while, discussed my first pregnancy…just so he had a little history…and he completed the typical measurement/exam ect.  When he found out that Bryce was 3, he (without knowing anything about him) said “3 year old boys have got to be the most violent little creatures on the planet.”  Something about being borderline psychopaths and how prisoners are basically 3 years old minds trapped in adult bodies!!  I had to laugh as I told him the very same thought crosses my mind at least once a day!  Phew!  He also let me know that the results of my GBS swab came back negative so I’m happy to know that I won’t have to be tethered to an I.V. antibiotic drip.  (Hopefully)  I’ll ask for a saline lock only and be a little more free to move.  Oh, and he wrote me off of work as of last Wednesday.  Time to relax at home he said.  He obviously doesn’t know me well enough.  There hasn’t been much relaxing!  Lol

My first few days off were spent filling the freezer.  So far I’ve made a couple of cheesy chicken casseroles, some spinach lasagna roll-ups, turkey chili, spaghetti sauce, banana muffins, spinach/fruit/flax seed smoothie packages, a couple personal chicken pot pies, mini meatloaves, and some spinach & egg breakfast burritos.   I also made some lactation cookies.  http://www.justbreastfeeding.com/low-milk-supply/lactation-cookies-increase/ I sure hope they work because they don’t taste very good.  Lol  I think the key ingredient (Brewer’s yeast) is the very thing that makes them so unpalatable.  Someone suggested I would have just been better off stocking the fridge with BEER!  I also made a batch of “regular” chocolate chip cookies for the Labour & Delivery nurses at the Civic.  I know what it’s like to work shifts, spend holidays away from family, get stuck on OT…so I thought some cookies and a card would be appreciated.  (And might buy me some extra patience and sympathy…maybe an extra pillow!?)   http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie/   

Soooooo…I booked the Placenta encapsulation.   Yes, I know…not very conventional, and the scientific jury is still out in regards to whether the benefits are really legit or if it’s just a placebo effect!? In any event, I figure no harm/no foul.  If it increases my milk production and helps with the Baby Blues, then it’s well worth the cost to encapsulate. If it doesn’t help, well then lesson learned.    Apparently I have to sign a waiver at the hospital to have my placenta “released” to me, then I must pack it in ice and notify the placenta picker-upper.  (Tatiana)   Not only will she dehydrate the placenta into pill form, she will also make an 11x14” print of it.   Supposed to look like a tree – “Tree of Life”.  (And she dehydrates the umbilical cord into the shape of a heart-weird-not sure what I’ll do with that!!  Lol  PLUS she save’s a raw piece to blend into a berry smoothie.  Have you all lost your lunch yet??)  Hey…people fry up animal Livers, eat Tripe, Tongues.  What’s a little bit of Placenta??

What’s happening with Baby this week?  “If you haven't yet delivered, you've reached the calm before the storm. You're probably monitoring your body for those first Early Labor symptoms and wondering what you've forgotten. Your smooshed-up baby is weighing in at around 6.3 lbs and 19 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls).  Despite being physically ready to land on planet Earth, your baby's immune system is quite weak and will continue to be that way for their first years of life. If you haven't yet evicted your wee lad or lassie from their first home, you're sitting here: big, ready and wondering when you're going to be in "real labor" - aka Active Labor. Well, relax, because your womb-loving baby knows what they're doing. They're not quite done bakin', mama! Still, if you want to get things moving down there, stay upright and active (aka go for a brisk walk, with stairs - if possible) as your baby's skull will be pressing on your cervix, thus, being upright and active encourages cervical thinning (a process called "effacement") - which accompanies Active Labor as your cervix begins to dilate open. If you're not in labor already, now's a good time to prep everything: double check you've all your newborn gear, go over your birth plan and clear your schedule conflicts and thin out the socially-demanding dates, it's time to get ready for the finish line!”