Your Personal Hospital Tour

My comment on the previous post made me think that some of you (aka- mom) would like to have a better idea as to the hospital we are delievering at. The hospial built a brand new building specifically for maternity care.... oh yes, and day surgery.

There was an online video tour that was made before they built the building. The video is pretty close to the final project. To see the video, click here then click "View Women's Center Video" on the right hand side.

Forward Movement

I saw the better liked Doctor today. She always seems to give me better news than the other one.

Currently-
Dilated: 2.5 cm
70-80% effaced
Engagement: -1 to -2 position

It is nice to hear that all that "false" labor through the week actually helped to move things along. (Slowly but surely.)

Over the past week, I've had false labor 1-2 times a day on 5 out of the 7 days. Each episode lasted 2-4 hours each. Many contractions have been strong enough to keep me from talking.

Last week the mucus plug was showing signs of coming out. However, some came out during today's appointment. Hopefully the rest come out at some point this week.

Got an Opinion? Well take it and shovel it

(I mean that in the most comical ways possible, I promise. I even made a reference to Demolition Man, for those of you who were paying attention.)

My point is that I think I may be done with the whole "everyone else's opinion" thing. If I had a quarter for every first opinion I have been given and a dime for every subsequent opinion that same person has given... I'd have her college & graduate school tuitions paid for by now.

A Naked Tummy Pic from earlier this week:



Opinion Topics That Get Under My Skin:
-You are so tiny for being that far along!
Seriously, the next time you see a pregnant lady who is waddling super slow and is wincing in pain because there is a skull rubbing against the inside of her pelvis... the LAST thing you should ever say to her face is that she has another 10-15 pounds to gain before it is all over. I've gained 30 pounds so far, which is perfectly healthy for a full-term pregnancy, thank you very much.

-She hasn't even dropped yet.
SERIOUSLY?? Where the hell does she have to go to "drop"... the floor?? I believe that is called childbirth.

-Don't do that, you are going to hurt her development.
It was 8 ounces of decaf coffee! Even if I had a cup of regular coffee a day, it is still an okay amount of caffeine to have.
And since when am I not supposed to be eating foods that have been heated in the microwave? I promise that she will not come out radioactive.
And yes, I have my doctor's permission to walk from my car in the parking lot to the train platform. And yes, I am permitted to take the stairs if I feel up to it. And no, I do not need to lay in bed twiddling my thumbs until she comes out.


Today's Tummy Pic:

Hey, who put that there?

Yesterday's Stats/Factoids

Frontal Measurement: 36 cm

Dilated: 1-2 cm

Will I surpass my due date: (Doctor made a funny face while looking at my file.) "Don't plan on it," she said. [Mind you that the due date in my medical records says May 16th.]

Next Appointment: "Make an appointment for next week. But don't bother to make it if you have a baby or go into labor between now and then," the doctor jokingly said.

Number of contractions I had yesterday: Somewhere between 5 and 10. (I think the doctor checking my cervix kinda encouraged some of that activity.)

Our solution on how to assist me in coping with the contractions: We took a slow walk... in Publix (aka- we went grocery shopping). I got to push the cart, which helped me to lean forward and take some weight off my back.

A Letter to My Daughter

Dear Lain(e)

You may have noticed a small opening right around the top of your head. I know your head is rather wedged in Mommy’s pelvis right now, so you cannot turn your head to see it, but trust me, it is there.

All I ask is that you think about exiting through that opening… soon. Mommy and Daddy know and understand that you should take your time getting ready. We will be supportive of your decision whatever you decide. However (and here comes the guilt), Mommy is going senile from the complete lack of quality sleep she is getting. I am sure you have been hearing her cry quite a lot lately at anything and everything. Daddy is doing okay, but will soon be hitting the senile stage if he has to deal with Mommy in her current condition much longer.

We understand that once you join us, sleep will be rare as well. But at least it will give Mommy the chance to get quality sleep while you nap and will give her the opportunity to sleep in more than one position.

Again, take your time. But the second you even THINK that you might be ready to exit, do NOT second guess yourself, and make your way through the opening.

Thank you.

Love,
Mommy

Late Update

I meant to post about the last doctor's appointment on Wednesday night. But my time has been rather short every evening this week. I have been working on my baby shower cake. I still have a lot work to do on it... I have mixed feelings on how it is turning out though. I will need to make an early morning trip to the grocery store to get more frosting.

Update from doctor's:
No more advancement.
But my belly is now 36 cm.
This doctor says I am only 50% effaced. Sigh.

I have been having less false labor pains, which is very nice.
Work is very happy that there is no advancement.
I feel like a giant huge pregnant lady.
I can't cross my legs anymore (no room under my belly).
I am super tired.
Not thinking in complete sentences.
I will go to bed now.

I don't feel like giving this post a title

No new news yet. Monday I felt miserable but at least I was at work. That helped me take my mind off the fact that random portions of my uterus were having partial contractions every 10-20 seconds for a couple hours on end. Kinda an odd sensation overall. Kinda like a reverse firework finale on the surface of my uterus. When that wasn't going on, just a bit of downward pressure.

Today I have been feeling great. Only a couple times her head rubbed up against my pelvis when I was walking. It has been a nice break!

I'll have a medical update tomorrow to see if any of this has done anything worthwhile.

Also of note- I walk so slow now that people easily pass me in the hallways at work. ("Passing on the left!") Yet, I am still passing people in the train stations. Hmm...

1st Contraction

Friday I was full of energy!! Today on the other hand has been rough. Back pain. Leg throbbing pain. Cramping pain. Complete exhaustion from head to toe. And having an overly active daughter is not helping the situation.

Since her head is so low, most of the time when she has the hiccups her head hits my pelvis or pushes against my cervix. Not exactly the most comfortable feelings in the world, especially when she has the hiccups 3-4 times daily.

At 1:40 this afternoon I had my first full-blown contraction. It lasted a minute. I started to wonder if an Easter Baby was in my future. An hour later, I had a half-assed contraction. It started strong and ended strong... but kinda fuzzled out in the middle. Since then it has just been a lot more of the symptoms listed in the first paragraph.

However, I should have figured out a while ago what her reaction to a contraction was going to be. Here I thought it was her idea to come out early, but I have learned that is not the case. She was NOT happy that the contraction was, well, contracting her space. There were kicks, punches, and attempts at stretches. All of them did nothing against my rock hard uterus. I tried to rub her back to calm her down, however, I couldn't even feel her back through my uterus.

My body sure is preparing. Just as long as it doesn't need weeks of practice then I should be fine. If it is going to last weeks... I request a voluntary coma.

Work's Reaction

So, while I posed the question on the blog, people at work have been weighing in on the answer. And no, they do not know about the blog.

I got on the elevator this morning and shared it with a co-worker named Linda. “Hey Momma!” she said. “She dropped some more. I can tell by the bands on your shirt.” By the end of the day, she looked at me wide-eyed and commented that my tummy was now even lower.

Within 30 minutes of being at work, I heard someone turn the corner and stand outside my cube. When I turned around it was my supervisor’s boss, Lee. (My supervisor is out on medical leave.) Usually when he comes to my cube like that he needs something. I looked at him waiting for him to tell me what he needed, but instead he said, “I was just checking to see if you were here.” “Yup, she is still inside me,” I responded. “Excellent!” he said as he walked away.

An hour later, I heard someone else come to my cube. When I turned around it was my co-worker Valerie. She and I work very closely to cover my supervisor’s workload while she is out. “Oh thank god you are here,” she said, “I don’t know what I am going to do when I turn the corner to find out that you are not here.” Later in the day, she looked at me and noted that I am noticeable bigger. I told her how my mother said it looked like she dropped and came out. “And then some!” Valerie added.

I was walking out of my cube aisle with my cube neighbor, Charlie. “So what is this I am hearing? You are about to have this baby?” he asked. Around the corner, over the filing cabinets, we heard a “Oh, she better not be.” It was Lee. He followed up by jokingly saying, “She told me that she promised that it wouldn’t be during the next week.” I laughed and let him know that I was doing my best to hold up to my end of the bargain. Funny thing is, I did promise him that yesterday. And last week I was promising everyone that I wouldn’t deliver until my supervisor came back. HA!

One random lady stopped me on my way out the front door to the building today. I believe she works on my floor with two individuals with developmental disabilities that work in our office. She asked when I was due. I told her next month. "Girl, you ain't gonna make it that far!" "I think you could be right," I said. "Girl, you are low. I give you a couple weeks."

While we all understand that I could very possibly still reach my due-date, no one in my office is taking that for granted. In fact, instead of being wished a good weekend by some, I was wished good luck… just in case I happen to go into labor this weekend. People are so silly people for thinking that it is going to be that immediate. However, my brain is slowly wrapping around the idea that a May baby may not happen after all.

Droppage? Yes? No? Maybe?

(Melinda looks at the picture above then looks at the picture here. Then back and forth and back and forth.)

I dunno... has she dropped?

And before anyone suggests that I should purchase maternity shirts... that IS a maternity shirt!

Awesome Update

To those who voted that Lain(e) would be joining us at the end of May… you may want to think about changing your vote.

Yesterday afternoon and evening was rough. I was having cramp-like feelings (not as bad as my periods, but enough to make me very uncomfortable). I was having pulling and pinching feelings down close to my pelvis. And no matter what position I was in I could not get comfortable. My brain also was not functioning well. For some reason my brain told my hand to stop holding onto a mug containing water and it went crashing down. Granted, it was 1:30 AM, but I still let out grumbles and swears. Al sent me to bed while he cleaned up and got me some water (in a plastic cup).

Today has been waddle city! I noticed that my stance was wider than usual, which likely lead to the waddling.

I had yet another doctor’s appointment today. And we shall now be going every week until she is born. I gained the textbook 2 pounds since my last appointment two weeks ago. My frontal height is now 33 cm.

I learned why I was so uncomfortable yesterday and why I am waddling. I am 80% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and her little head is really really low (-1 engagement). Yet, when I look in the mirror, I don’t look like I have dropped.

My doctor said that everything that she is doing right now should make me quite happy, since it will make labor a smidge bit easier on me- Her head is first. Her head is low. Her body position is perfect.

What does this mean for when she is born? (Shrug.) Doctor thinks that a baby in the next week is unlikely and that it is still possible to go another 4 weeks. According to my Prepared Childbirth book here, lightening/engagement occurs anywhere from two to four weeks before labor.

Change your votes if you so choose and I will give you another medical status update next week!

Tummy and Nursery Updates

I would have looked happier in this picture, but it was taken late in the evening. And I shall remind you that insomnia is kicking in! Adding to that, acid reflex has also forced me to "sleep" sitting up on the upstairs couch 3 times in the past 10 days.

Nursery before pictures:



Nursery after pictures:




During the nursery make-over pictures:

Al fixing the crack in the corner before painting-


The kids helping with the paint job. Misato is in the room inspecting for the need of a second coat, while Asuka patiently waits with the roller and paint to get the go-ahead signal from Misato.



Step-by-step directions on how to assemble a crib:

Step 1- Get the box into nursery and take off strapping. Here is Al giving a demonstration:


Step 2- Open the box and locate instruction booklet.


Step 3- Tell the photographer that not every minute of the crib assembly process needs to be documented. (Humph.)

Step 4- Follow directions that come with the crib.

Step 5- Admire a job well done!

Promo Code

I/We bit the bullet and bought a brand new crib. Since I am the more anal retentive one when it comes to cribs, the final choice was left up to me. I can’t tell you exactly what I like and dislike in cribs, but I know if I like something when I see it. I don’t like the overly spindle look. I prefer darker woods. I love the bulky look but I don’t think that the nursery is big enough to support it. Cost wise, I am very picky. If I am going to paying over $125, I require that it is a convertible crib. (For those of you who know the prices of cribs these days, I am sure that statement has you in stitches.)

My original plan was to closely monitor Craig’s List during maternity leave to get a used crib at a lower price. Down here, you have to monitor Craig’s List for cribs during the day, make contact with the seller within a couple hours of posting, and be able to go out and pick up the item within 6-8 hours of posting. Otherwise… no crib for you! I have only entertained used cribs priced at $150 and under on Craig’s List. Paying more than $200 for a used crib is highway robbery to me. In fact, paying $200 for a new crib is enough to give me a heart attack!

While my parents were visiting, we went to a couple of stores just to see what we could see for new cribs. There was an issue though. We had no idea where to go! We went to Toys R Us and saw one. It was not a convertible, the side did not drop down, and it had a changing table attached. I have no need/desire for such a unit, especially at a $180 price tag.

We went to JCPenney. There were no cribs in the store. We had been to Sears previously. Again, no in-store cribs. Any store we could think of either had outrageously priced cribs or do not carry cribs in the store. The closest Babies R Us is over by Al’s work, which was kinda far from where we were, so we just went home.

I checked out Overstock.com and found a decent crib in my “willing to pay” price range. I then went to Babies R Us’ website, to see if there were any cribs I liked that Al could go pick up on his way home from work. The in-store cribs that I saw and liked were priced in my “heart attack” range. There was one crib that was in my “willing to pay” price range that was only available online. So, I had to choose. The Babies R Us crib was $10 dollars more expensive and shipping was $35, while Overstock shipping was only $3. So basically there was a $42 dollar difference… which is a lot to me.

I liked the Babies R Us crib just a smidge bit better. I called Babies R Us customer service to determine if there was a shipping savings if we shipped to one of their stores versus to our house. The woman on the phone was very nice, but the answer was no. Shucks. I then noticed a spot online to enter a promo code in the shopping cart. “Hmm,” I thought, “I wonder if somewhere there is a promo code for free shipping.” I spent 5-10 minutes doing a Google search looking for currently valid promo codes for Babies R Us, and low and behold, I found a promo code for 15% off one nursery furniture item. Whoo-hoo! I felt an extra $18 for something I liked just a smidge bit better was worth it. The crib’s customer ratings were also better.

Al’s parents have insisted on helping out getting baby stuff. So the crib will technically be a present from them.

Surprisingly, UPS tried to deliver the crib today. It only took 2 days to ship! They are going to try to deliver again tomorrow. Of course, we are going to be at work when they try to deliver. If I knew someone was going to have to sign for it, I would have had it delivered to Al’s work. Oh well.