Awesome stuff..

I joined my midwives Facebook page and love all the info posted there! Most of the things ive read are things id already heard or knew about but it is so nice to see that they too, agree with these practices. One thing they will not do in labor is break your water for you, they let this happen in its own time Typically water should break just before birth and not hours before. So rupturing the membranes for you is not practical ( which is what almost all OB's will do). Also the midwives are pro-nitrous oxide aka laughing gas. I would like to try this option over an epidural but i am not ruling out an epidural. since ive never done this before, I would never say without a doubt that I wouldn't want one when the time comes. especially knowing im not great with pain- im kind of expecting the epidural and if things go differently i will just be pleasantly surprised. But, if nitrous is an available, safer option, Ill give it a try! And most of the rest of the world uses this over an epidural... see video below from the vandy team:

Laughing gas for labor:

Baby born in the sac:

30 weeks- fathers day, my birthday and a baby growing so, so fast...

This week has been a week with lots of experiences that tell me this baby is no longer so tiny! For one, I feel him all the time, constantly and in a big way! He moves and pokes and rubs and turns...his little head bulges out the side of my abdomen- i can place my hand on my side and feel him just inches away and it feels like hes right there!- and he scrapes his elbows down my sides ever so slowly! He has had the hiccups ( that I can feel ) 4 times now- all this week! Its a rhythmic pulsation similar to a very slow heart beat that last about 3-5 min. The hiccups can be felt very low in my pelvis which ive read often means they have already flipped head down- and according to my baby book, this is a good thing and turning head down right now is not too early and still in enough time that he isnt out of room to actually make the turn- if they wait too long to flip, it sometimes doesnt happen. 

Feeling all these new, big movements makes me sad to think its almost over. That might sound crazy but I have loved the last few months bc its such a unique experience to feel a little human inside you moving and twisting and turning! And one day soon itll be all over and hell be outside of me forever more- kinda happy and sad! this week was fathers day and I turned 28. This week my mom talked about how fast life goes by and how now shes about to be the next generation- she was the daughter, then the mother now shell be the grandmother...and how now im the mother and so on...and its true, life just flies by and then its over. She asked me if i felt older and i said no, then she asked if i felt like a mommy and i said no. She said, " you just still feel like my little girl" and i said, "yes". bc its true, i still feel 10 years old only i work and pay bills..and when i think of the fact that this little boy is just beginning, i get a little jealous, bc he has so much fun and adventure in front of him :) 

Yesterday the orange geometric curtains came and look lovely hanging in the room, as well as the fabric arch for the arched window in the nursery. The room is looking beautiful and we spend more and more time just sitting and rocking in the new chair.... soaking up the last of this quiet time..

30 weeks:

How far along?  30 weeks 

Total weight gain: 25lb

Maternity clothes? yep

Stretch marks? im at a count of about 4 little baby marks...but what are ya' gonna do right?!

Sleep?  sleeping better, and peeing less often during the night. id say im more tired right now than in the last few weeks so i think im sleeping harder

Best moment this week: feeling hiccups 4 times now in my tummy, and laying my hand on my tummy to feel his limbs roll past my fingers :)

Miss Anything? still missing skinny ankles and tops of feet that dont jiggle haha! 

Movement: all day! :)

Food cravings: not really- my desire for sweets has returned though and i am able to eat like a horse at meal time it seems

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope

Have you started to show yet: of course!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs:  no. but the hiccups have been in my pelvis so ive read this could mean hes already head down- a good place to be in before he runs out of room :)

Belly Button in or out? In, but getting flatter!

Wedding rings on or off? still on but def. moments of swelling with the summer heat.  had my nails this week and couldnt take them off for the mani..then at times i am able to remove them with no trouble

Happy or Moody most of the time: still happy :) 

Looking forward to: nailing down a name and finishing up the nursery

29 weeks!

Welcome to the last week of the "20's"!! This week has been full of busy work!! I completed the closet painting, we bought a fan and installed it after a few hours of possibly giving up!, we bought a chair at lazy boy and it was delivered, we bought out crib- which ended up being the Jenny Lind in black- we really did love the modern crib but the touch of black was something we wanted to pull into our rooms color scheme and the simple design was always something i loved about this crib. Plus, i wont begin to tell you the deal we got on this crib, which everywhere else is on backorder until aug! So the lure of saving hundreds of dollars got the better of us! We also have a lovely 2-1 infant/ toddler mattress inside of it now thanks to Bens mother who purchased it for us from our registry :)

The room is really, finally coming together. While at work, my mom even came over and cleaned the room out and rearranged making room for all the furniture and we love it! We have a built in office in our bonus room, but i had placed a desk in the guest room pre-baby for school so that i could shut the door and keep the cats out while i did school work; this desk will remain in the nursery for the same reason until i am done with school next year- so for now baby will have to share one piece of furniture with me which took a little bit of space away from the room. But, maybe hell want to use this desk himself one day for art or homework or just whatever it is boys do?? Im sure i wouldve used it to make barbie a fabulous castle....

Honestly, as i type this sitting in the rocker, the nursery is actually my favorite room in the house right now- its quiet, simple, breezy and has the best window in the whole house :)

bringing in orange and touch of black...

 

Fabric for DIY bench cushion 

 Foam for bench, cut to size..

Ben putting up the fan on our super high vaulted ceiling..needless to say he had some frustrating moments..

 Chair has arrived! Breaking it in with a bedtime story...

 And crib is assembled! Isnt it lovely! 

 Toes disappearing....

 A shot of this mornings alien baby bulging out the right side of my tummy :) 

28 weeks and a circumcision ...

This week is the 28th!  I'm trying not to be a belly photo slacker! But it's been nursery central in our house for the last many days. I think we have the crib narrowed down, we just need to order it! And the colors are coming together perfectly! Next will be redoing a dresser we have, picking fabric for curtains and a bench cushion, ordering crib bedding and a rocking chair! Sounds like a lot when I type it. Oh and we need a new light or fan for the room! Also marked off the list today, CIRCUMCISION plan. I don't yet have a pediatrician and either way didn't want that to be who performed the circ. - usually those can lead to needing revisions later in the year and that would mean surgery. So one of our urology surgeons has said for me to call him when I deliver and he will come over to the nursery and perform the circ :) several other girls at work are doing this as well. I was very excited to know he would be the one to do this procedure!!! For once, working in the children's hospital has helped me know the right people at the right time :)

How far along?  28 weeks 

Total weight gain: 23lb

Maternity clothes? yep

Stretch marks? just the one...and the belly rub down continues daily!

Sleep? not sleeping too well right now- having to sleep with a body pillow and starting to get uncomfortable..

Best moment this week: Feeling so much of baby is so much fun- hes getting so big and he moves so much :)  

Miss Anything? oh my- i miss my calves and ankles so badly- as well as wearing shoes that fit :(

Movement: all day!

Food cravings: no real cravings still, but im loving the "skinny cow" ice cream sandwiches right now! and only 150 cal. which makes me so happy :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: nada 

Have you started to show yet: of course!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs:  no- and hopefully none any time soon! but the braxton hicks contractions are getting more frequent and noticeable..i guess im revving up for D day

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On, but def. moments of puffiness! 

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy with a sprinkle of easy annoyance 

Looking forward to: getting the nursery wrapped up and picking a name for Heavens sake! 

27 weeks- hello third and final trimester!

Well this week has marked the final trimester! It's flown by! And there is still so much to do! I'm hoping to nail down a crib and get to ordering that as well as ceiling fan for he nursery! Plus I've got to find a place for all my junk in the nursery that now needs a new home! And with the shower fast approaching I'm def. feeling the pressure! Otherwise I'm enjoying a nice couple of weeks off school before returning June 11 :(. But I'm ready to knock it out! Feeling more rolly- Polly than ever and finding it hard to tie my shoes! I never thought I'd be so excited to exercise again!