Swollen Ankles

My ankles are suddenly starting to swell today -- especially my right one. So, in celebration of such a delightful pregnancy side effect, here is this Q&A from BabyCenter:

Why are my ankles and feet so swollen?

What you're experiencing is edema — that's when excess fluid collects in your tissue. It's normal to have a certain amount of swelling during pregnancy because you're retaining more water. Changes in your blood chemistry also cause some fluid to shift into your tissue. In addition, your growing uterus puts pressure on your pelvic veins and your vena cava (the large vein on the right side of the body that carries blood from your lower limbs back to the heart). The pressure slows the return of blood from your legs, causing it to pool, which forces fluid from your veins into the tissues of your feet and ankles. Edema is most often an issue during the third trimester, particularly at the end of the day. It may be worse during the summer. You can help relieve the increased pressure on your veins by lying on your side. Since the vena cava is on the right side of your body, left-sided rest works best. After you have your baby, the swelling will disappear fairly rapidly as your body eliminates the excess fluid. You may find yourself urinating frequently and sweating a lot in the first days after childbirth.


And here, courtesy of me, and especially for Kate, is a photo of my poor ankles (notice how much more swollen the right one is):

34-Week Midwife Appointment

I had an appointment with Margaret yesterday, which went well. I peed in a cup and didn't hear anything about "spilling" sugar this time around (though we started talking about other things, and I forgot to ask... but I kind of figure if there was a problem, she would have said something), my blood pressure was fine, and I had gained three pounds in the last three weeks, which the nurse said was perfect. Margaret played out her routine with Baby Helms, first just feeling around the belly and saying hello, then listening for the heartbeat (which was beating fairly fast... probably because she was moving around and had the hiccups just before), and then feeling for the positioning of the baby. She claims that the baby's head is still really far down, which is great, and she says the baby is not going anywhere. She also said that if people think I look small it's for that reason -- most babies don't drop as far down as early as Baby Helms has. I asked her if this was a sign that she might come early, but she said it doesn't mean a thing... except that she will come out -- just in case I was feeling anxious about that. I told her that since I did weigh 11 pounds at birth that the thought did cross my mind that I might have a huge baby myself, but she said there was no way I was going to have an 11-pounder. She thought even a 9-pounder was a stretch, though still possible.

I asked her what the likelihood was that she would attend the birth, and she said it was pretty darn likely since the other midwife at the practice was going to be out August 30 through September 12. I also asked her if I was going to be hooked up to monitors and IVs during the labor and delivery, and she said no. She said they would probably run a strip on the monitor when I first got there, but would then take it off and leave it off (just checking the baby's heart beat periodically during labor) unless I decided to lay back down in the bed. Apparently if you're laying down, the nurses feel the need to hook you back up to everything. It will definitely be my goal NOT to lay down. :) We also talked some about breastfeeding (mostly Margaret reassuring me that things would be fine) and also about cord blood banking (something Jarrett and I still need to make a decision about). Overall it was a very good appointment, and I was able to go ahead and schedule all of my remaining appointments up to the 40-week mark, which was great. I'll go again the Tuesday after next, and then every Tuesday thereafter. Exciting!

In other baby news, Jarrett and I worked on our birth plan last night, and I sent it off to Jenn, our doula, this afternoon. I think we're going to try to meet with her next week for our last meeting prior to the birth. We'll go over and revise the birth plan, and I'm sure go over other general issues regarding the big day. (I'll probably have Margaret look over the plan as well.) This Saturday is my local baby shower, hosted by Kate and Shelly, and I am much looking forward to it. My parents and brother are coming down Friday afternoon and will stay until Saturday evening so my mom can attend the shower with me. My dad will likely join in on the Man Day activities, which are taking place at our house while all us girls are over at Kate's. My brother is going to visit a friend while in the area. It should be a fun weekend!

34 Weeks

According to BabyCenter, our little girl now weighs about 4.75 pounds (cantaloupe-sized) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers, which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born, are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine (they may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies). It's hard to believe that we could have a virtually healthy baby any day. I don't feel that she is coming this early, though, and I'd rather she wait until at least 36 weeks anyway since that is really considered full term.

Surprise Lunch

Yesterday Cindy and Heather (friends from work) surprised me with a Baby Celebration Lunch. They asked me on Monday if they could take me out to lunch on Tuesday to celebrate the coming little one, and I said -- sure! But I didn't have a clue that about 12 other coworkers would be waiting for me at the restaurant once we arrived. It was very nice and extremely sweet of them to plan everything, and the relaxing lunch was a great break from the packing at the office (we're in move preparation mode and will officially be back in the old -- but newly renovated -- building on Monday!).

Week 33

According to BabyCenter, this week Baby Helms weighs a little over 4 pounds (to get an idea, heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look (which I think we're happy about) and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull are not fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal (which I am definitely happy about). (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones do not entirely fuse until early adulthood so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

In other pregnancy news, I am currently suffering from a hated summer cold... I'm considering it some sort of punishment for turning 30 tomorrow. I am fine with blaming any badness this week on that. Really, though, I am not actually dreading the big 3 - 0. It's the new 20, right? I do, however, wish this cold would go away quickly. I saw the chiropractor (Dr. J.) yesterday, and she gave me a couple of products that are safe to use while pregnant, so hopefully those will help. I see her monthly, and she has been keeping me well adjusted... but I realized yesterday that I will likely only see her once more prior to the baby's arrival. Crazy!

Baby Hiccups

I just had to add one more quick post to say that the little one really seems to be having a time with hiccups! She has them right now, had a case of them yesterday, and I felt two or three other episodes on Wednesday. I know it is normal, but still... poor little jicama.

Babymoon-ish

Jarrett and I just got back last night from somewhat of a babymoon in West Palm Beach, Florida. We had a nice, relaxing time, regardless of the fact that part of the trip involved work for Jarrett. He attended a coworker's forum while we were there, but we intentionally flew down a couple of days early so we would be sure to have some nice alone time together. Most of Jarrett's company's meetings are held at The Ritz-Carlton, and this one was no different. So, needless to say, the accommodations were very nice. The place is -- not surprisingly -- pricey, but thankfully we were able to have the discounted meeting rate extended for the nights that were on our tab, which was great. This particular Ritz sits right on the beach, so you have immediate beach access, as well as access to the beautiful grounds leading out to the beach that include two pools and a jacuzzi. This is probably -- no, definitely -- a place Jarrett and I would not normally choose for a vacation, but we ended up having a great time nonetheless.

Our luck with the weather was rather grim -- it seemed we would get out on the beach or by the pool, be out about an hour or so... just enough time to order some drinks, and then the dark clouds would roll in and the downpour would begin. Despite the rain, we still had a nice time lazing around and enjoying the peace and quiet. My friend, Jenny, who moved with her husband, Sean, to Austin, Texas, a few months back, flew in late Tuesday night, as it was her husband who was running this particular forum. So she and I were able to hang out together most of the day Wednesday and yesterday morning, and then all four of us were together yesterday afternoon before Jarrett and I had to head to the airport. It was great to catch up with her and have some girl time. We didn't have much better luck with the weather Wednesday, but yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, so it was lovely that we were all able to spend some time in the sun before Jarrett and I had to jet (Sean and Jenny were staying on until Saturday).

It's hard to believe that was our last trip before Baby Helms makes three, but Jarrett reminded me that baby or no baby, we will always find time for the occasional trip alone. Those excited grandparents will be greatly anticipating those opportunities (at least I know my mom has already mentioned it)!

The 32-Week Belly

Here she is in all her glory...

32 Weeks

This week, according to BabyCenter, Baby Helms weighs about 3.75 pounds (this week she is a large jicama... doesn't sound nearly as cute as a butternut squash) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in the uterus. Apparently I should count on gaining about a pound a week from here on out, and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she will gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next seven weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

31 Weeks

According to BabyCenter, Baby Helms measures over 16 inches long, and weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges). From here, she is apparently headed into a growth spurt (meaning my belly is as well, I suppose!). She can do some fancy things these days, such as turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin.

She is definitely moving around quite a lot, despite the fact that, according to the midwife, she is pretty well stuck head down in birth-ready position. She enjoys wedging her knees or feet (or something) up into my right rib cage, which I think is causing the bit of back pain I am experiencing -- but I can take it. It's actually quite comforting and pretty cool to feel the little one move around. I also felt what must have been those hiccups I've read I might feel last Friday evening while over at Kate and Tim's house for the Fourth, so Kate finally was able to feel the baby move!

Midwife Appointment at Isis

Today was my appointment with Margaret (yay!) in the second mentioned new office, which I absolutely love. It took me 55 minutes to get to there, but it was totally worth every tick of the clock. The office itself isn't much to speak of from the outside -- one of those brick medical office complexes that appears like it was built in the 70s, where you enter each office from the outside -- but the inside had a very new, clean, pleasant, relaxing feel, and all of the personnel were extremely friendly.

The appointment started out as all the others at the old office -- peed in a cup, weighed in (gained two pounds since the last visit... now at a grand 144), and had my blood pressure taken. My blood pressure continues to be good, but I apparently "spilled" sugar in my urine (strange term in my opinion, but whatever). Margaret asked me if my glucose test had come back negative (she didn't have my chart this visit), and I said yes, so then she asked me what I ate for breakfast. I had cereal with blueberries and orange juice. Apparently blueberries this time of year tend to have this affect, so she thinks that is possibly the cause... or maybe even the orange juice. If sugar shows up during the next test, they might possibly take some blood just to make sure. During the rest of my visit with Margaret, she went through her ritual of first kind of feeling the baby and "saying hello" to it, then she listened for the heartbeat, and then she had me bend my knees and she felt my belly again, this time applying a bit more pressure, to try to figure out the baby's position. The little one is apparently already head down, and Margaret claims that she is really down in there and is not likely to change position until birth, which is fabulous to hear. She tried to help me feel the head -- and I think I did feel it somewhat -- but it proved to be a bit difficult. We chatted awhile longer and I asked a couple of questions. One of the qualities I love about Margaret is that she never makes things feel rushed.

When I checked out and made my next appointment, the receptionist said that they would go about trying to track down my chart from one of the two previous practices, which is lovely. Hopefully I won't have to worry about that again at all.

Since my weeks are a bit off at this point (since I was supposed to go in at 30 weeks), and since things seem to be going quite swimmingly, my next appointment is scheduled in three weeks rather than two (at 34 weeks). I will then go again two weeks after that, and then will be at the point where I'll go in on a weekly basis!

I Found Her (Again)

I tracked Margaret down again -- this time by calling the random number that was still in my phone from which Margaret called me yesterday morning. Thankfully she picked up. It turns out that she is going to be at Isis OB/GYN, which means she will be working with Kay Johnson, who also comes very highly recommended in the Atlanta area (and was on the question/answer panel at my church the day they had the showing of The Business of Being Born). Kay was going to be a back-up for Margaret and the other midwife at Alpharetta Women's Specialists when it was thought that Margaret was going to be there, but this is even better. This means that Kay will be the number one back-up, so as long as Margaret stays put, I'll have two really fabulous midwifes on my side. Anyway, I've already called and left a message regarding an appointment because Margaret thought they might be able to get me in tomorrow, though I don't know what they will do about getting my records. Otherwise it will likely be next Tuesday or Thursday.

10 Weeks Left (Maybe)

We've reached the 30-week mark, which I'm finding a bit hard to believe. It seemed like forever before we reached 20 weeks and had the ultrasound, but time has flown by ever since. Full-term is considered to be 36 weeks, so we of course want to at least make it that far -- but that is six weeks away! We could actually have a baby in six weeks, and that is insane to me. Don't get me wrong -- we're excited -- but it still seems crazy.

So what is Baby Helms up to this week? BabyCenter says that she is about 15.7 inches long now, and weighs almost 3 pounds (we're talking head-of-cabbage-size this week). A pint-and-a-half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in the uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision -- which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.

In other news, I was supposed to meet with Margaret in the new practice for the first time yesterday morning, but as I was literally about to make the turn onto the highway, I got a call from her. Apparently her contract is not working out as planned, and after just two weeks she is already likely going to leave. She told me that she thought she would be able to see me this Thursday (where, I don't know) and that she would give me a call back yesterday afternoon, but I have yet to hear from her. Yes, I am feeling a bit anxious about this situation, but I do find comfort in the fact that she is actually calling me personally on my cell phone. Who knows, maybe she had to attend a birth yesterday. I am just hoping I hear something today. I have somewhat of a back-up plan if things to work out with Margaret, but I just like her so much that I would hate for it to come to that. We shall see.

My dear friends, Jill and Meeghan, threw me a surprise pre-baby shower on Monday evening, which was very sweet of them. Neither of them are going to be able to make it to the shower in August, so they wanted to do something prior. It was, of course, completely unnecessary, but very thoughtful and fun. Thanks, girls!