35 Weeks

I finally had my first appointment with my North Carolina doctors this week.  I was super anxious for this appointment since we are in the final stretch before the big show and I had TONS of questions for my new doc(s).

The most important question was if they perform Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC).  If they did not, then it looked like I would automatically be having a c-section again due to the very limited amount of time I had left before my due date to find a doctor/hospital that did.  Fortunately, this doctor does perform VBACs  if the lady is a good candidate.  The main concern is where my prior internal c-section incision is located.  If it is a vertical incision, then no VBAC for me.  If it is a horizontal cut, then we're good to go.  Unfortunately, my prior doctor's office sent all of my records except for the actual delivery report!  Ugh!  So, now we have to wait on the records to arrive to my new doctor before they can determine which route we will be going.  

If Bristol is breech, we will automatically have a c-section, as well.  As of this past Wednesday, she was head down and sitting pretty low in my pelvis!  Holla!  As long as she stays that way, we're good to go!  However, I have felt her flipping around this weekend.  I have been feeling her hiccups down in my pelvis, but this weekend, her hiccups were up under my ribs.  This made me think that she may have been head up at that moment.  Baby girl needs to stop being an overachiever and get her butt in the proper position! 

  

I think I look pregnant now!  :)  35 weeks!

I have noticed with this pregnancy that I have had way more sharp pains in my ribs.  I'm assuming this is her kicking me!  If Joey was breech for awhile, that may explain why I never had those types of pains in my ribs.  

I've also had some menstrual-like cramping and pelvic pressure over the past few weeks.  The doctor said that was probably baby girl getting into position.  

Bristol's heart rate was good and she was measuring great, according to the doctor.  My weight gain, or lack thereof, was not even discussed.  However, I did gain three pounds since my last appointment, putting me three pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight.  I'm not seriously concerned about this since I haven't gained any weight until now.  Plus, being with other adults and eating lots of good southern cooking, is not helping!  

I can't believe that I may have another baby in 5 weeks!  If I am going to have a c-section, then I will be having my baby between 39-40 weeks...aka in 4 weeks!!!  YIKES!  I'm not going to lie, the thought of having a newborn again, plus dealing with demanding toddler is seriously stressing me out.  I remember how much I wanted time to fly by when I was at the end of my pregnancy with Joey.  I couldn't wait to not be pregnant and to meet our little guy.  This time around, I am begging father time to slow his butt down!  I am so grateful that I will have lots of family around to help for the first 6 weeks, but I know we're on our own after that and that is a very scary thought.  In my opinion, Joey was a very demanding and high strung newborn.  I didn't like being a mom until he was 4 months old.  I know that most siblings are complete opposites of each other, but I am preparing myself for another "Joey newborn".  Hopefully, Bristol will be the most mellow and easy-going baby and all of this worry and concern was over nothing.  I know there's no need to worry and I can only take one day at a time.  So, for the time being, I am trying to enjoy any free time I have right now and my alone time with just Joey.  If I thought the ride was rough before, I'm in for a rude awakening, I feel.    

10 More Weeks

Well, we had our last appointment with our California doctor last week and I must say that it was a great appointment!

First off, I do not have gestational diabetes!!  This also means that I passed the one-hour glucose test, so I don't have to take the three-hour test!  Holla!  I was very, very happy with this news.  

Baby girl's heart beat was in the 150's.  Very good.

Since the doc has not measured my belly once during this pregnancy, I have been a little concerned on how this baby is growing.  The doc finally measured my belly and baby girl is growing right on track, 30 cm=30 weeks! Woo hoo!  (Still haven't gained a pound!  Whoop whoop!)

My blood pressure is good, but my heart rate has been a little faster here lately.  An increased heart beat is a pregnancy symptom, so I wasn't too nervous about this but the doctor still checked it out.  My heart rate was a bit increased, in the 80's, but the doc didn't seem too concerned by this.

I've had a bit of pelvic pressure this past month.  The doc told me just to keep an eye on it and make sure I'm drinking plenty of water.  This goes for our cross-country road trip.  Can you imagine how a very pregnant lady staying super hydrated is going to go with a five-day road trip?!!?  This should be wonderful.  

Yes, I am Pregnant.

 

29 weeks!!  Holla!!  :)

I ran into someone that I haven't seen since December today.  I had to tell her that I was pregnant and due in about 2.5 months.  She was shocked.  Talk about a confidence killer.  And please, do not tell me how awesome it is that I don't even look pregnant.  I am bigger.  My clothes don't fit.  So, when someone is shocked that I am actually pregnant because I don't look it, well, that just makes me feel fat.  I'm only pregnant a couple of more months and I should only get bigger, so I'm trying to not let it get to me.  But mad kudos to me for not gaining any weight, so far.  I am the bomb!  :)  

26 Weeks

Things are going well with baby girl!  I assume she's growing on schedule...the doc is not measuring my belly, so I guess baby's growing like she should be.  

She's moving around a lot!  I even saw my belly move the other day when she kicked/punched! 

She has moved from my sciatic nerve, thank God! 

 My heartburn has kicked it up a notch or ten!  I have heartburn almost every single night.  I have started to drink pickle juice to cure this.  I know, I know, to some of you, that sounds absolutely disgusting! I love pickles and the juice, so it doesn't bother me one bit.  My parents saw this thing on some doctor show about drinking a little bit of pickle juice to alleviate heartburn.  I forgot why this is supposed to work, but it has! 

I'm getting up 2-3 times a night to pee.  I've gotten a few leg cramps.  I'm having lots of vivid dreams and nightmares.  

I still have not gained any weight, but I'm expecting that to change here in the near future since my appetite is starting to increase!  However, I am still having to tell people that I am pregnant because they can't tell by looking at me.  

I have been having a few days of pelvic pressure, which I don't remember having with Joey.   I also think that baby girl is moving up towards my ribs because it is getting a little harder to breath.  I hope baby girl is not born with a third eye because I've had a few deli meat sandwiches. 

Belly Photo, Week 26!  Please do not tell me that the pointy part of my belly is Bristol.  It is not.  It is my muffin top that I have always had.  When I was not pregnant.  When I was at my heaviest.  When I was at my skinniest.  I've just always had that belly awning.  Bristol is just pushing that awning out further than it normally is, which is pretty annoying since no one knows I'm prego, meaning that they think that fat muffin is normally that large and in charge. This physical characteristic is what makes me not want to wear maternity shirts because maternity shirts are somewhat designed to show off the cute baby belly.  However, if you have a fat muffin hiding your baby belly, then those maternity shirts are just a big obnoxious sign to others that you have a fat muffin.

Oh, and you may have noticed I chopped all of my hair off.  I've been wanting to do this for years, but never had the guts.  However, Joey likes to pull my hair when he is mad and it would drive me bonkers!  Plus, I am hot here in So Cal, what the heck am I going to do in hot, humid NC while 9/10 months pregnant?!?!  I figured this was the time to chop it all off, especially since I'm taking prenatal vitamins.  My hair will grow like a weed! 

23 Weeks

We had baby girl's checkup last week.  She's doing well and growing!   

I'm feeling good.  Just tired because I don't sleep well now.  Baby has been lying on my Sciatic nerve so that has caused a lot of issues.  As my mom put it, baby girl is already a pain in the butt!  Ha ha!  Fortunately, for me, baby has moved a little because my butt/lower back does not hurt nearly as much as it was.  Only when I move certain ways.  I also got my first pregnancy leg cramp last night.  :(   And the heartburn is around daily now. 

I also have not gained or lost any weight this month!  Holla!  I'm just not as hungry this time around, which helps since I'm not supposed to gain a pound.  I think it also helps not having Michael here.  Michael is awesome at bringing me comfort food or joining me in my bad indulgences!  When your toddler goes to bed around 630, and you're craving ice cream at 8, oh freaking well!  You can't go get it because you can't leave the kid and you're certainly not going to wake him so you can have some frozen deliciousness!  I also don't prepare big meals much while Michael's gone.  When it's just you and a toddler eating, ease and convenience definitely win out most nights.  I feed Joey his food, and I may eat a sandwich or some soup.  I hate preparing a real meal and Joey won't touch it.  So frustrating!  Plus, I can never get through all of the leftovers before they go bad or I'm sick of them!

Oh, have I told you that we picked out a name for baby girl?  Bristol Healy.  Yes, they are both Alaskan places.  No, baby girl will not be born there.  No, we did not name her after Sarah Palin's daughter.  Yes, we really like the name Bristol.  No, she is not named after the NASCAR race track.  :) 

Sugar and Spice

We had an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago and we did not see a third leg, meaning that TBD is now a baby girl!  When the tech told us the news, I literally yelled "YES!!!"!  Michael was really happy too!  The tech really didn't get any good photos of baby girl, so I don't have anything to show...yet.  ;)  

After our ultrasound, we had an appointment with the doctor.  She verified that everything looked great with baby girl!  We also discussed my weight gain goal.  I still have not gained any weight this pregnancy and am actually down a few pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.  I was preparing to hear "10-15 pounds" since I am considered obese.  Those numbers did not come out of the doc's mouth.  The doc said that she would like me to gain NO WEIGHT AT ALL!!  Are you freaking kidding me?!!?!  I had to pick my jaw up off of  the floor.  Actually, I can gain a couple of pounds but that's just so I can be back at my pre-pregnancy weight.  She said not to diet because that can hurt the baby, but to increase my physical activity.  I can barely breathe as it is now!  How the heck am I supposed to increase my exercise?!?!   Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I'm going to try not to stress out about this, because you know, I'll probably go to my new doc in North Carolina, and she'll freak out that I haven't gained any weight!  Ahhh!    

Later that night, Michael went to to store and came home with roses for me and baby girl's first dress! I know you can't see the writing across the chest, but it says "Little Marine Princess" in pink with a picture of a crown.   

Even though Michael really wanted a boy (this was only because of his stress level when baby girl becomes a teenager and wants to date boys!), but he is so happy to be having a little girl.  I mean, he bought baby girl her first outfit on the day we found out it was a she!  That means he is ecstatic and baby girl already has him wrapped around her finger!  :)