Aches & Pains

One of the biggest pregnancy complaints you hear about is all the aches and pains that go along with it.........  There are many other um, unpleasant things that go along with most pregnancies, but unless you are Jenny Garth you probably won't discuss them in a casual setting.  If you do, it will be amongst your closest friends!

So what happens to your body during the pregnancy?

Well, after the gas stage passes and the puking stage passes you are left with a tiny human that is growing and taking over your midsection.  Your balance is thrown off, you might be a bit more clumsy.  Might not be able to put on your socks or your shoes very easily.   When you drop something on the floor you hope you are talented enough to pick it up with your toes or have a child close by to ask them for assistance.   They are closer to the floor as it is, right?

Now that I am in my 35th week I can say that I have definitely experience some aches and pains along the way.   For the most part, unless is *bad* I don't complain a whole lot.   Really, how can your body go through such drastic changes and NOT shift, move, tweak, hurt, etc?

 So what hurts?  For me personally; this time around I haven't had too many problems.  My biggest complaint has to be that I have had a couple days that my crotch is KILLING me!!  I feel like I need to just push it all back together.   The worst was probably after I sat on a {not very cushy} bar stool for 7 hours wrapping Christmas presents!   Oh - OUCH!   My back was also bothering me a bit that time too.   I know that my pelvis widens up and my hips tweak themselves out a bit too and that is probably part of the migration....  Nothing like a soft squishy couch to relax on when it was all said and done!!

My second biggest complaint that I don't talk a whole lot about is a spot on my right side that I have pains at.  I truly believe I have needle tract endometriosis.  After a whole lot of research it is the only thing I have come up with that can be causing me pain.  With my second surrogacy I had an amino done and in each pregnancy since then I have had pain where the needle went in for the amino.  Even with this pregnancy I had a shooting pain before I even knew I was pregnant and I thought "Wow, that was weird, I normally only get pain there when I am pregnant."   {Duh.}   Anyway, I am not sure all the details, but it just feels like my uterus is attached to my side by a string somehow and if I move too much, took quickly or stretch funny it hurts.   When I am not pregnant it has never bothered me.    I actually called the doctor that did my amnio and he told me how many thousands of patients he had had and had never had a complaint.......  Kind of coincidental dontcha think?  

OK - I am sparing you the pictures on the next topic that I hear a lot of complaints about.... hemorrhoids.    Yeah, those nasty things.   Now since I have had *way* more children than most of my friends (kidding.... Kind of) I get a lot of people that ask me for my opinions or thoughts on certain pregnancy topics.  I *totally* don't mind this at all!!   However it seems like more times than not I get people that ask me about hemorrhoids.   When I tell them that that is one topic I have NO idea about, they sometimes get mad at me!  "How can you have had "x" amount of babies and NOT had hemorrhoids?!?!?"   *shrug* 
I have no idea - how did you get them???   So I thank my lucky stars that while my butt might be getting fatter, it doesn't have those.  For those of you that get them, have them or might get them - I am really sorry, but I have no suggestions for you.  

The thing keeping me up most nights is heartburn.   Stupid thing.   Another symptom that ONLY happens when I am pregnant!   Now I know that TUMS would be the nice simple answer, but too many can actually cause your placenta to start to calcify which then in turn makes your placenta have 'dead' spots which can no longer filter and provide nutrients to your baby.   So - I have tried the papaya enzymes that were suggested to me, but I can't seem to get those to work.   I really don't want to drink the apple cider vinegar, so I suffer or break down and have ONE antacid and try to go back to sleep.

I get tired and out of breath a lot.  If I have to go upstairs I normally sit and rest once I get up there.   I am lucky that my shower has a seat in it - 'cuz I have to sit in the middle of my shower.   Today I took my kids to to the store and had to get really low to look at the price tag on something and just decided to sit and rest while I was down there.   Unfortunately I scared one of the workers when she saw this huge preggo sitting on the floor...... next time I'll try hiding better!

So yes, I could whine and complain a lot or I can suck it up and say - your know what, it isn't easy growing a small child!   I don't like to complain.  I don't want to sound like a crotchety old lady.   :)  My body is doing the BEST job that it can do and I am happy with that!   Sure, if I had quit after 2 kids I wouldn't be complaining at all, but this way one family has 2 kids and my family is working on number 4!   

That is pretty awesome!   My body was made to have babies!!!  


Being pregnant isn't always easy but then -  take a minute to think about all the women that would trade places with you and all your aches and pains in a heartbeat just to have ONE child......... 

I know I am blessed! 

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas is fast approaching and so is the New Year.  Time to do a quick update - and why not at 4am since I am  not sleeping?  It is officially Christmas Eve!!!

Six years ago my husband and I were anxiously awaiting our first (biologically ours!) child together.  My due date:  December 26th.   Our first planned homebirth.  The set up was the same as this year, Christmas Eve on Friday, Christmas Saturday and the due date on Sunday.   My husband, Mark works Sunday through Thursday and kept hoping I would have the baby so he wouldn't have to go back to work on Sunday.... no such luck. 

We spent Christmas Eve with his side of the family and Christmas day with my side.   I took a nice long, relaxing bath that night and went to bed.  I woke up (without looking back at 'notes') a little after 9am (maybe 9:30....)on my due date, and had a couple contractions.  I went down stairs with my *very* attentive 5 year old, Tilor in tow.  I got the big giant clock off our wall and had Ti bring me the phone after I dropped to my knees for a contraction.   While I was on the phone calling Mark he was in charge of getting me some ice water.   I remember very specifically calling Mark and saying:  "I think I want you to come home right now."   His response.......... "Call me back when you know for sure."   Seriously?!?!?!   Do you know how hard it was to call you NOW???

I don't remember anymore who called our midwife, but Mark did come right home from work.  I think our MW arrived about 10:15am.  I was already in the tub and Tilor was sitting on one end of it (it is a garden tub...with the 'counter' around the edge of it) and staring very intently at me and saying:  "I'll let you know if the baby comes out, okay mom?"   Gee, thank you son!   *smile*

Our son Zeyon Christopher was born at 10:50 am.   Our backup midwife didn't make it, but that was fine - everything went very well.   When we finally got out of the tub and snuggled into bed and the midwives had made us breakfast we weighed him - he was a whopping 10lbs 4ozs!!

This is one of my favorite pictures because if you look at his ears you can see that they are folded up.   All his weight in utero pushed his shoulders up to his ears and molded them that way for quite awhile.  In this picture he is 2 days old.   He never was a thumb suckers, so it is interesting that he was in this picture....

So, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, I also look forward to this time of year of celebrating the birth of our son, Zeyon Christopher (pronounced just like "Ian", but with a Z sound) the day after.

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And in other news - I celebrated my birthday 2 weeks ago.  I turned 33!!   To celebrate I decided to kidnap my husband!  I planned a night away for just the TWO of us.   If you recall we took a mini vacation back in February when Mark and I flew to LA for medical screening.  Before that, it had been 6 years since we had ever gone away ALONE!   I figured if I didn't plan something *now* that it would be another 3+ years before we could escape.  My mom helped out again - I dropped them all off at her house on Thursday evening and went home to wait for Mark.  All our stuff was packed in my car - ready to go!  When he got home at 7:30pm or so I literally met him at the door with clean clothes and told him "Go get changed we're going out!"   He was NOT thrilled.   We went back and forth a few times and I think he realized that they kids were gone and I was serious that he had to just suck it up.  *smile*   I allowed him a shower but told him he couldn't shave (I had already packed all that up!).   He assumed we were going out for dinner, so I didn't tell him anything different.   We drove an hour south and went to Lincoln City and stayed in a Junior Suite with an ocean front view.   A few times during the 24 hours he said "Thanks...." so that made me feel good.  I knew what we were doing was important for US!!!    

Here is a picture of us on the morning of my birthday on the balcony of the hotel - looking tired, but thrilled!

When we finally went to pick up the kids my mom and the little ones had  made me a birthday cake and my step-dad made his *wonderful* stroganoff.   It was a GREAT birthday!! 
*I also got a phone call from the surro-Daddy and he wished me a very Happy Birthday!!   He was in New York for work but didn't want me not to hear from them.  See, it is the little things that make me smile!!!

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Ok, so baby update real quick...... I am 34 weeks!!!
I had my checkup on Wednesday and things are looking great.   Baby growth has slowed down a little (totally fine and normal), I was only measuring 36 weeks.  She hasn't said anything about the baby being big at all this time around.... kind of surprised.  Maybe she is just assuming it is big, but 'normal' for me.  My oldest, Tilor got to go to this appointment with me 'cuz he was out of school - he loves them!  He misses not being at all of them...... This time he was able to listen to him/her with the fetoscope and she also showed him how to manipulate my belly so he could feel the back and then all the 'parts' - arms, knees, feet etc.  She also showed him how she could tell the Little Intruder was in a head down position and how to put his hand around the head and move gently.   Makes me SMILE!!!

My last belly shot was at 25 weeks - so here is a new one.   34 weeks - and here I am in all my glory!!

I know I look big to most people but I actually feel smaller this time around......

If you haven't voted on our online baby poll, please feel free!  I love the fact that we had a few brave souls that are 'silent blog stalkers' come and vote!  On the main page of blog on the right side there is a bright orange box that will take you to our voting area.   We are at 56 guesses right now and if I remember correctly we are *very* close in boy/girl ratios!!   I think we'll be closing it around the 15th of January so you have only a couple weeks left!!!

This will probably be my last update for 2010 - wow, what a ride it has been!!!   Thanks for following along and I look forward to 2011!!!   Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful, safe New Years!!

Ignore the dirty mirror - cleaning day was the next day!!  :)

31 week check-up

My apologies for not updating more often....... I have been being harassed that I needed an update, so here ya go - two updates in one day!! 

I had my 31 week check-up today and all is growing well!   We took my blood pressure a couple times (ok, 3 times) 'cuz the numbers seemed awfully close together and low.... but not something that we are too concerned about right now. My glucose was a bit high in my urine so we'll check that again next time.... probably all the cheesecake I have been eating since Thanksgiving!   Ooops.

Baby is pretty much standing on his/her head and today was posterior.  That changes almost daily!   I am measuring 36 weeks - so 5 weeks ahead.  My midwife has a theory about moms with toddlers/small children - she thinks that the body naturally increases the amniotic fluid to create an extra cushion for all those times they jump on your lap, need a snuggle or just bump you the wrong way.  I notice when I am laying down that my belly has gotten 'wider' this time.  Baby seems to be just the right size, it is my belly that is big.   I figure my uterus has stretched out and it is just ready and waiting for the baby to grow into it.  

We had a nice chat and I asked about getting birth supplies ready.  Over the next couple appointment we'll make sure I have the list of things I need to have on hand.  The biggest at this point is food so I can have a really good meal after the birth.   I plan on delivering in my bathtub (although she recommended a birth tub this time around so I had more room) where my last 2 were born.   My bed stays clean and comfy.  My room has supplies 'just in case' but otherwise we have towels, something to cut and clamp the cord after it stops pulsing and .....yeah, not much else.   Oh well, I guess the fishnet panties and pads.....  *smile*  

*Just to clarify - my midwives bring all the important supplies - oxygen, pitocin, sutures etc

in case there would be any type of complication!!**

My next appointment is scheduled for December 22nd (3 weeks away) and then January 5th.  After that we will be getting together every week for the next month until the baby is born.   Wow.   Amazing.

Two months from now.....

I am due two months from now....... how did that even happen?!?  

Last week I hit 30 weeks - 3/4 of the way through.  Only a quarter of this pregnancy left........ I am starting to get sad.  I really wish I could go back in time (with my sanity intact) and start this pregnancy over again.   I feel cheated.   I know it was my own fault and my own hormones, my own sadness etc that made the first 16 weeks really hard on me, but now I want to do it all over again. 

I want to celebrate getting a positive pregnancy test.  I want to have people be excited for me that I am pregnant.  I want to *wonder* with my husband 'are we?'.    But now I am here, so I have to enjoy this time I have left.

I know since it took so long for me to wrap my head and my heart around having a new baby in our house that I *might* have a hard time letting go.... I am kind of anticipating going over my 'guess date' just because I want to be pregnant and love on this baby as much as possible.  Then again, I can't wait to meet him/her!!!

My Guess Date is two months from today.  February 1st.   These last 9 weeks will FLY by, I am sure with the holidays fast approaching.   Our families have lots of birthdays this month including mine on the 10th and our son, Zeyon's the day after Christmas. 

Two weeks ago I went on a 'purge' trip and got rid of unnecessary furniture in my house that I felt was just too much.   We got rid of a couple coffee tables (baby will be learning to walk before you know it!), a train table, a chair, a desk and then we cleaned the WHOLE house.  Felt sooo nice!   My hubby kept rolling his eyes at me when I told him I wanted to get stuff ready for the baby.... we have almost 3 months still!!   "Time will go quicker than you think sweetie......."

So in order for us to prepare for our new little Intruder the only thing we NEEDED was a new car seat.  I am a little anal when it comes to car seat safety (drives the hubby nuts).  We have 2 car seats that we got when Zeyon was on his way and we had *great* timing and passed them down to Sheridan before they expired.  Well......... now we have a new baby on the way and two pretty nice looking seats that are expired.   Time to get a new one.   *Smile*   We have always gotten 2 identical seats - one for each of our rigs.  Makes it easy for the kids (they know which seat is theirs) and easy on us, we know how to work them easily.   This time around we only have ONE rig that will seat our entire family of six.   Yeah - May 9th of this year we got my hubby a 'new' truck  and it seats 5.  Perfect for us until the 28th of May when I found out we were expecting a new baby......... of course.  So this time around we are getting one seat.  I can always use one of the older ones for an emergency backup.   Oh yeah - we always get convertible seats.  I *really* dislike the infant seats.  My initial thoughts are 'pop in, pop out'.  I know they won't pass safety tests if that happened, but still....... My other thoughts are - I want to hold my child.  Sometimes it is a pain, but I make it work.  'You'll wake the baby if you take it out of the car seat'    Yeah, and they go right back to sleep.   (just my personal opinion - doesn't work for everybody!)

So this is how the cost of our new baby breaks down........

Feeding: Boob
Sleeping: Our bed
Toys: Siblings
Clothes: Boxes of boy/girl clothes just waiting to see......
Diapers/wipes - cloth. Spent about $600 six years ago and I have gotten LOTS of use out of them. Awesome since most people spend $2,000+ per kid on disposable diapers!! 
Price of having a new baby: $112.50 for the new car seat. :)
...I am happy!