Baby Stuff

Here is our list of things we love and would buy again. 

Cloth Diapering:
I LOVE bum genius! If we aren't using bum genius, we use pampers and huggies (when traveling).   I think Bum Genius are better at containing mess than the disposables.  Aurora has worn BGs since she was 8 weeks old.  They come in sized and in one size.  I chose to go with smalls to cut down on the bulkiness of the one size diaper on such a small baby.  She used the smalls until she was 8 months old, then we bought some mediums and one size Bum Genius.  I also tried out a couple Gdiapers recently, but they don't contain mess as well and I won't buy any more.  If you are going to do cloth, but want as much modern convenience as possible, you want to pay a little extra and choose an AIO (all in one) or pocket diaper.  They are still cheaper in the long run than disposables.
Check out this website for diapering: http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=98&products_id=1811

Locally I've bought diapers, toys and baby necessities online from:
http://www.liltulips.com/  (Stillwater, MN)
http://www.nickisdiapers.com/ (Wisconsin)
http://amzn.com/B002FB7FLY : these are great inserts for the cloth diapers (extra absorption for overnight).  Small fits small and large fits medium, large and one sized.  They hold up well and have good absorption.  Peapods carries these too (see end of post)

Laundry:
http://amzn.com/B003854RS0:  Planet Wise Wet Bag - great for used diapers, wet clothes, etc.  They are good at locking the smell in and keeping the wet contained.  I've been using mine for a year and love it!

Bedding:
http://amzn.com/B000BUQNXW: American Baby waterproof mattress pad - its soft and not crinkly.  We use American Baby jersey crib sheets too.
http://amzn.com/B000XPYXBY: American Baby waterproof burp pads.  I use the burp pads as changing pads.  They wash well.  I keep a few at the diaper changing station and in the diaper bag.
http://amzn.com/B000GEA1IG:  Crib Mattress.  Super light and easy to pick up.  I didn't realize the value of a foam mattress until it was 3am and I was lifting the mattress out of the crib by myself to change the sheets.

Big Items:
http://www.rei.com/product/798579: Bob Revolution Stroller.  This is the only stroller we have and we LOVE it.  It goes everywhere and over everything.  It has a smooth ride, folds up, all-terrain, holds lots of shopping bags - plus you can buy a car seat adapter so you can put the car seat in it.  Oh yeah, Katie loves riding in the bottom of it.  :) 
http://www.albeebaby.com/chicco-keyfit-30-infant-car-seat-miro.html:  Chicco Car Seat.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!  You just set it in its base and it snaps in.  It has a magnetic guide to help it go right into position.  It is highly rated and fits babies 4-30lbs.  Aurora will outgrow it in length soon, but we've gotten over a year of use with it.  I'll be sad to see it go.
http://amzn.com/B0018Z6910:  Fisher Price Cradle Swing.  We used this non-stop the first month of Aurora's life.  We bought it for half price on Craig's..  Any swing is probably good as long as it doesn't shut off after a set amount of time (in my opinion). 
http://www.armsreach.com/shop-3/the-original-1/: Arm's Reach Co-sleeper.  We don't have this, but I want to get it for our next baby. 
http://www.albeebaby.com/britax-marathon-70-car-seat-cowmooflage.html  Britax Marathon 70 Car Seat.  Just bought this for when Aurora grows out of her infant car seat.  You can use this car seat from 5-70 pounds and Britax is the top of line for convertible car seats.  The draw back as far as using it as an infant car seat is that it isn't easily removable.  It is pretty much stationary in your car.

Toys:
http://amzn.com/B000IDSLOG: meet Sophie!!  :)  you might want to put her on the registry - for some reason, every baby I know loves this over-priced toy
http://amzn.com/B000WOV7WO:  Chicco Walker.  Bought it for $30 on Craig's list.  Works great, easy to clean, Aurora loves it.
http://amzn.com/B000067K0L:  Tiny Love Super Deluxe Lights and Music Gymini Activity Gym.  Bought this for $15 on Craig's.  It is SO overpriced brand new for what you get.  Aurora is starting to out grow it now, but she really liked it this past year.
http://amzn.com/B000YDDF6O:  Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes.  Aurora liked it right away and still does.
http://amzn.com/B001AG0YL8:  Boogin' Pacifier Clip.  Aurora never took to a pacifier, but we use this to clip toys on her so she doesn't drop them.  I love the fabrics they have and they work great.  We have two.
http://amzn.com/B0038B9GG2: V Tech 3-in-1 Learning Zebra Scooter.  Aurora got this for her 1st birthday - she loves it

Nursing:
http://www.amazon.com/My-Brest-Friend-Deluxe-Pillow/dp/B0012OV1NI/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2YO2039P7ZVND&colid=2QHG4B0OAE31N: I have a Boppy that I use, but my lactation consultant reccomended that I use a My Breast Friend pillow.  I didn't get one, but wish I would have and plan to buy one for baby #2.  
--Lansinoh Breast Cream -- life saver!

Clothes for Mama:
http://www.liltulips.com/Undercover-Mama-Nursing-Shirt-Bra_p_1677.html - Nursing Top - they also sell it at Amazon.  I just discovered it a few months ago and love it.  I hope to acquire one in every color for the next baby.
--Nordstrom's does bra fittings.  I've gone there many times in my quest to find a good nursing bra.  That is where I found this bra.

Clothes for Baby:
http://amzn.com/B0006B4BVM:  Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe.  Life saver!  Its 2am and the newborn baby is screaming.  You haven't slept in days and you aren't even sure what year it is anymore...do you really have the energy and clarity of mind to get your baby swaddled up in an old square blanket that you can get wrapped so tightly it won't come undone????  This is swaddling made easy.  They come in microfleece for the cold months and cotton for the warm months. 
http://www.babyongrand.com/node/1415: this is where I bought Aurora's pink polka dot Bambino Mio swim diaper -  I've only used it a few times, but so far I like it.

Meal Time:
http://amzn.com/B000WEHO8K: Boon Snack Ball.  I like that it is small, holds cheerios, goldfish, etc, the lid is attached so you won't lose it, and it is easy enough for one-handed operation while you're pushing the grocery cart with the other hand.  I have two.
http://amzn.com/B0007ORN7M:  Bumbo!  We bought the tray that attaches and we still use it as a high chair....Aurora is able to crawl out of it now, so I should get to shopping for a high chair so she'll be safer.  We've gotten a ton of use out of this.  She was able to use it as soon as she could hold her head up.

Baby Stores in St Paul:
http://peapods.com
http://www.babyongrand.com/

There is one thing we have I don't like.  Our Diaper Genie.  We bought the Diaper Genie 2 on Craig's brand new for half price.  I think I'd be much happier with a different model, but this model involves pushing the diaper or wipes through a squeeze hole and if it is messy...its really messy and gets all over your hands.  We only use ours for wipes now since we use cloth diapers, so it isn't a huge issue.  But, if I was going to use it a lot, I would get a different model like the earlier models that you just set the diaper in and then twist the lid to make the diaper fall through.

Check out Happiest Baby on the Block - great DVD (or book)!

Aurora James Hess

I woke up at 3:30am with cramps and back pain.  After walking around for awhile and not being able to make the pain go away, I woke Ryun and he helped me time my contractions.  The pain was constant whether or not the contractions were occurring.  The contractions were irregular, some were 5 minutes apart and some were 12 minutes.  Ryun massaged my back and I heated my hot pack and fell back to sleep about 4:30am.  I slept well until 8:30am when I woke up and ate breakfast.  Then I went back to bed until 10:30am when the cramping and back pain returned.  I called Maureen (midwife) and she recommended that I get to the chiropractor.  So I called a lady in Minneapolis who uses the Webster Technique to help turn babies in pregnancy (Aurora was head down but face up), and scheduled an appointment for 1pm.  I was having contractions between 5 and 8 minutes apart so Ryun drove me over.  On our way home, we had Taco Johns for lunch (I told Ryun we should have something nutritious in case I was really in labor…), then returned to the house.  Now, my contractions hovered between 4 – 7 minutes apart, they still weren’t completely regular, and some were strong and some were more mild.  I stayed busy around the house and took Katie out for a very quick potty break before Maureen showed up to check on me at 5:30pm.  Katie’s walk would have been longer but I had a contraction in the park and doubled over…Ryun made me come back in.  Maureen wanted to check on me and said she would probably leave and come back later…well, after checking me, she decided to stay instead.  My contractions were becoming closer and stronger now.  At 6pm, I was 5cm dilated and 95% effaced.  This is when it sunk in to me that I was in labor.  :)

Ryun and Maureen went to work immediately upstairs, getting the supplies ready for birth.  Ryun set up the tub and began filling, he laid down plastic on the floor, he helped Maureen carry in her supplies and helped her set up her stuff.  They probably did a 100 other things that I didn’t know about because I was downstairs distracting myself.  I decided that I needed to clean out the fridge (still had Christmas leftovers in there), so that I could then take out the garbage.  Once I finished that project I made up a protein shake and ate some snacks.  I made a couple phone calls and updated my FB to let everyone know that the baby was on her way.  Kate (studying under Maureen to be a midwife) showed up and stayed in the kitchen with me and helped me through my contractions.  It seemed a little comical to me, that I was busy in the kitchen one moment, on the floor in pain the next, and then up and about carrying on with my projects after a minute of being on the floor.  I spent almost every contraction on my hands and knees – I found it the most comfortable. 

Michele came over and distracted me for a few minutes with stories about her day.  She wasn’t sure why I wanted to know how her day was when I was clearly about to give birth.  I told her she better have good stories from her day or make something up, because I needed new things to think about.  She did good.  :)  Then she took Katie back to her place for the night.  Katie was pretty concerned about me all day and she would sit with me when I had my contractions.  Katie wore herself out playing with Willa that night and I’m sure they terrorized Michele’s house before crashing out for the night.  It was so nice to not have to worry about Katie – knowing she was in good hands was a comfort.

It was about 7pm now and the contractions were strong and painful.  Ryun was still busy getting the tub full, but would come and comfort me during most of my contractions.  They ended up having to boil water for the tub since our hot water heater couldn’t keep up with fill the gigantic tub.  I was finally able to get in the tub at 8:30pm.  I was 7 cm dilated.  I remember sighing as I got into the tub – the warm water felt so good!!

Ryun stayed by my side throughout the rest of my labor.  I draped my arms over the edge of the tub and labored on my knees through almost every contraction (as seen in a picture below).  I gave birth in this position also.  Ryun knelt by me outside of the tub and held my hand.  He talked me through every contraction.  I guess I was in “laborland” because his voice was pretty much all I could hear.  Everything else in the room seemed fuzzy.  The harder I fought the pain during my contractions, the worse it hurt.  If I could relax my whole body during the contractions, they were so much more bearable, and I’m guessing I made faster progress during the times I relaxed.

I remember losing all control during one of my contractions.  I felt like a monster coming out of water, flailing my arms, my eyes wide open (but not really seeing anything).  I needed to leave…leave the water, leave the “situation”, runaway from the job at hand.  During that contraction I was inconsolable and unable to hear any comforting words.  This contraction seemed to last FOREVER (even though it couldn’t have been longer than about 2 minutes).  I wondered if I had enough energy to jump out of the water and run away…I wondered how hard it would be to fight off Maureen, Kate, and Ryun.  I was tired.  I wanted to be done in the worst way. 

When the contraction passed I felt almost defeated because I knew I couldn’t leave.  I knew that I had to go through the rest of this labor and that it would end with me pushing out this baby.  It was a real moment of realization, that this was it, I needed to get a hold of myself and deal, because I was going to give birth, it was going to hurt, and I was going to get through it (a mantra from our Birth From Within class). 

I was going to meet my baby soon.  We were about to witness a miracle for God.

I knew from reading, that a lot of women hit a wall just like mine during the transition phase of labor – they feel that they just can’t go on anymore.  I was definitely feeling this way, but didn’t want to tell anyone since I thought there was no way I could already be there.  Little did I know, I was there.  Maureen checked me around this time (I believe I was 9.5cm dilated) and found that I had an anterior lip.  She had me labor through 4 more contractions – each time having me be in a different position.  Changing positions allows the pressure of the baby to push in different places on the cervix and can take care of an anterior lip.  After my fourth contraction, they checked, and I was complete.  I had to ask a couple times to be sure they really meant I could start pushing when I was ready.  I was like, “are you sure I can push??  I can push now?…are you sure?”.  I couldn’t believe it was time to push.  I was sure I was misunderstanding them. 

Throughout the transition phase it was all I could do not to push with my contractions.  It was an involuntary reflex and it made me so frustrated because I knew pushing before I was complete could cause swelling and extra hardship.  Ryun helped me to blow my air out and focus on breathing through these contractions, but it was still a really awful time.  It hurt so much to push, yet it was hard to control my body and not push.  I didn’t expect my body to push when I didn’t want it to.  It was so frustrating and painful.

Around the time I became complete (10cm), Ryun got up to stretch and I realized his legs were hurting from being in the same position throughout my labor.  I told him he should go and get himself a pillow to kneel on.  He tried to tell me he was okay and then I demanded that he go get one “RIGHT NOW!”.  He did :)  I don’t know if it helped him much at that point, but I felt better.  :)  hehe. 

Once I started pushing I was relieved to know it wasn’t the same kind of pain as I was feeling during labor.  Don’t get me wrong, pushing the baby’s head out made me feel like I was going to rip in half, but the pain was different, and even though it was still really painful, it was like I had more energy from the change in the way the pain felt.

I pushed slowly to allow my body to stretch as the baby came down.  I pushed through the first half of each contraction and blew out for the rest.  I don’t know how I knew to do this, I just listened to my body and did what I thought was best.  Crowning was the most painful, and I held the baby in this position for about 3-4 contractions for my body to adjust.  I really feel that this was important to do and allowed me not to tear.  Finally, I pushed her head out.  At this point, I’m pretty sure I tried to close my legs and Maureen had to physically push my knees back apart…again, this was involuntary, it was as if my body was saying, “NO THANKS – THAT’S ENOUGH PAIN FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!”. 

After a couple more pushes, and she was out.  Aurora was born face up and in her amniotic sack (my water never broke), so Maureen had to break the sack once she was born.  Ryun caught Aurora, I rolled over onto my back, and he laid her on my chest.  I giggled uncontrollably with joy.  It was the most amazing feeling in the world.  Aurora was born at 9:50pm after an hour of pushing.

I was so tired, it was all I could do to keep Aurora and myself from sinking and drowning.  Ryun helped me lift her up and make sure she was a girl.  What a relief, Dr. Hartung was correct!  We had a beautiful baby girl.  Now I could relax and cut the tags off all those cute PINK clothes!

Not long after giving birth, Maureen had me get out of the tub so she could better monitor my blood loss.  I crawled in bed with my baby and Maureen coached me in pushing my placenta out.  As I laid on my back trying to push out the placenta I was shocked to find it so much more difficult to push as I laid on my back, versus the hands and knees position I was in during labor and delivery.  I was so thankful to be home and not in a hospital setting. 

Ryun went downstairs and got me yogurt and cottage cheese to eat.  At 10:15pm Kate helped me start breastfeeding Aurora.  While she ate, Ryun spoon fed me the food he had brought up.  I was starving!  :)

After feeding Aurora, I went and took a shower.  Ryun was able to spend a little time alone with her for the first time.  It was a ton of work to shower – I was exhausted – but it felt good.  Once I was back in bed, Ryun heated up the taco hotdish I had made earlier that day and brought us both two big servings.  We ate while Maureen and Kate did the newborn checkup on Aurora.  They weighed her, measured her, counted the fingers and toes, etc, etc  :)  It was a big checklist and I was in a daze.  Aurora was given a very healthy clean bill of health.  She weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20” long.

Maureen and Kate did a bit of cleanup and headed out about midnight.  I remember being very concerned (during my pregnancy) about being left alone for the night after the birth – but I could have cared less when it actually happened.  Ryun helped them leave and came to bed.  I was thinking to myself how perfect the timing of it all was.  We were going to be able to go to bed now and it was only 1am!  I had a baby and wouldn’t even have to stay up all night in labor.  Well, so much for that thought.  We were so excited we pretty much just laid there and talked all night.  Aurora slept on my chest and was up at 4am for some breakfast! :)  Haha – first-time parent, stupid thought #1.

Aurora: named after Sleeping Beauty
James: named after the book of the bible

She is our perfect gift from God.

A few videos:
Footprints for Birth Certificate
First Bath – Tea Bath
Music Toy
Hair Dryer

Pictures:
About 6pm – Maureen monitoring a contraction 
On the floor, Maureen still listening to Rory’s heartbeat. 
   
Laboring in the office – on the phone with Mom – I was probably telling her I was just fine and not to worry!   :D

Ryun comforting me through a contraction in the living room
Ryun reaching to get me some ice to eat
Finally laboring in the birthing tub 
First time breast feeding and Ryun spoon-feeding me :)
 
The next morning
Daddy talking to his little girl
This is how we spent our first two weeks together

Soothing tea bath for mommy and baby

Kate doing Aurora’s footprint the next evening when they came back to check on us

Maureen helping Kate with the footprints
Admiring good work :)
A couple days old…
Lacy, AJ, Katie – 3 days old

Taking a snooze on Mom

Getting weighed

Ready to go out to lunch – 2.5 weeks old
Big Foot (Aurora, Mommy apologizes for this photo in advance) :)

2.5 weeks old
 
3 weeks old – helping Daddy program

40 Weeks

Today is the due date and it has come and almost gone with no excitement.  We slept in until noon today and Ryun played video games all afternoon while I spent a few hours taking a bath.  Tonight we hung out with friends, Michele, Kaci & Jeremy.  It has been a very low-key day.

This past week wasn’t too busy either.  Mom and Dad left on Tuesday morning.  Later that day I had my prenatal appointment with Maureen.  I am now 4cm dilated and 70% effaced. 

Ryun and I went out for supper at Red Lobster on New Year’s Eve.  That was about the extent of our partying.  :)  We’ve spent a lot of our evenings trying to help the baby turn.  She is head down and engaged, but she is posterior and the optimal position is anterior.  See www.spinningbabies.com.  There are certain exercises that are supposed to encourage the baby to turn.  I don’t think she’s budged an inch yet!  :)

On New Year’s Day we went out for a late breakfast with Kaci and Jeremy to the Uptowner Grill on Grand. 

Ryun set up the birthing tub a couple weeks ago to make sure he knew how it worked. 

How your baby's growing:

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.
See what your baby looks like this week.

How your life's changing:

After months of anticipation, your due date rolls around, and... you're still pregnant. It's a frustrating, but common, situation in which to find yourself. You may not be as late as you think, especially if you're relying solely on a due date calculated from the day of your last period because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with reliable dating, some women have prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reason.

You still have a couple of weeks before you'll be considered "post-term." But to be sure your baby is still thriving, your practitioner will schedule you for testing to keep an eye on her if your pregnancy continues.

You may have a biophysical profile (BPP), which consists of an ultrasound to look at your baby's overall movements, breathing movements (movement of her chest muscles and diaphragm), and muscle tone (whether she opens and closes her hand or extends and then flexes her limbs), as well as the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds her (important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting your baby).

Fetal heart rate monitoring (called a nonstress test or NST) will generally be done as well — by itself or as part of the BPP. Or, you may have what's known as a modified BPP, which consists of an NST and an ultrasound to assess the amount of amniotic fluid.

If the fetal testing isn't reassuring — the amniotic fluid level is too low, for example — you'll be induced. If there's a serious, urgent problem, you may have an immediate c-section.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! 39 Weeks

Today we all slept in and had a late breakfast.  Mom, Dad, and I went to the Maplewood Mall for the afternoon and Ryun stayed home and vegged.  He played some video games and watched football.  Mom and I took advantage of some after Christmas sales in Sears.  Dad found some good deals at the Gander Mountain Outlet.  Tonight we had Pizza Hut and I did some cleaning while Mom sewed a few baby blankets for me.  Then she helped me reorganize a couple closets.  We keep acquiring more baby stuff, so I keep having to reorganize to accommodate.  :) 

 

This has been a fun week.  Ryun and I have tried to spend more time just the two of us.  We went to Avatar in 3D at the theater – it was really good!  We did a little Christmas shopping and he accompanied me to Super Walmart in Stillwater so we could get groceries for Christmas dinner.  We are really appreciating the time we are having together right now.  I’m so thankful his work schedule is lightening up!

I saw Maureen on Tuesday (22nd).  I’m so glad she is back in town.  I found out that I am 50% effaced and 3 cm dilated.  It is good to know that my contractions haven’t been all for nothing and that I am moving in the right direction.  We don’t know when the baby will come, but she is on her way.  She’s about 6 – 6.5 pounds right now we think.  I’m wondering how long she will be!

My mom and dad arrived here on Wednesday!  They left Tuesday and spent the night in Alexandria.  They wanted to make sure to get here before the snow storm hit and thankfully they did.  We ran some errands Wednesday and Thursday and also did some shopping.

On Christmas Eve we opened presents together and had a good time.  Pinkberry made off with some pretty cool gifts!

Mom’s new vest

Katie found someone to play ball with :)
Soft Cute toys for Pinkberry
The hat doesn’t fit me…must be another present for the baby!

Yum, sugar cookies from Ryun’s mom
 
Baby Blanket from Ryun’s Mom
 
Willow Tree Figurines: Adriana and Nick bought us the couple with the baby – love it!

Dad made this for storage in our downstairs bathroom.

Mom and I made Christmas dinner together on Friday.  It seemed to take us forever, but we had fun doing it.  :)  It would have taken me ages to get it all done if I were alone.  My brain has turned to complete mush in the past week and it is pretty much impossible for me to stay on task.  I need someone following me around to remind me why I’m standing in the closet not knowing what I’m looking for, or why I just ran upstairs but came back down without whatever I went up there for.  :)

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
See what your baby looks like this week.

How your life's changing:

Quick Clicks

• Newborn screening tests: Which ones your baby needs and why
• Laugh and learn: New parents share their most embarrassing mistakes
• Introducing your child to your new baby: Overview
• Relaxation tips to ease labor pain

At each of your now-weekly visits, your caregiver will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. She might also do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). But even armed with this information, there's still no way for your caregiver to predict exactly when your baby is coming. If you go past your due date, your caregiver will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy.

While you're waiting, it's important to continue to pay attention to your baby's movements and let your caregiver know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem. Also call if you think your water may have broken. Membranes rupture before the beginning of labor in about 8 percent of term pregnancies. Sometimes there's a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there's only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If you rupture your membranes and don't start contractions on your own, you'll be induced.

Surprising Facts: How your body changes after giving birth

Even if your labor and delivery was fast and easy, it will take some time for you to feel like your old self again. It may be hard, but try to remember that it took nine months to get here, so you won't bounce back — emotionally or physically — overnight.

What to expect from your body:

• You'll start losing weight right away. While you probably won't return to your pre-pregnancy weight for some time, most women are about 12 pounds lighter after delivering one 7- to 9-pound baby and losing another pound or two of placenta and another two pounds or so of blood and amniotic fluid. Although it will take a while for your body to regain its pre-pregnancy shape — that pregnant belly may stick around for longer than you'd like — by the end of the first week, you'll probably have lost about 4 pounds of water weight.

• You'll have lochia discharge. After your baby is born, the cells that form the lining of your uterus will begin to slough off. This results in a discharge called lochia that lasts for weeks. At first, this discharge is mixed with blood, so it appears bright red and menstrual-like, then it gradually gets lighter in color, finally fading to white or yellow before it stops.

• Your emotions will be in flux. Within the first week or two of giving birth, many new moms experience the "baby blues." You may find yourself moody and weepy, exhausted, unable to sleep, or feeling trapped or anxious. Your appetite can change, too — you might want to eat more or less. The good news is this emotional upheaval will generally pass within two to three weeks.

How to recover more quickly:

• Get as much rest as you can, and make an effort to sleep when your baby sleeps. This can be tough advice to follow, especially during the day, but it really helps.

• Limit visitors and the time you spend with them. Consider turning off the phone and posting a "we're napping" message on your door to discourage drop-ins.

• Eat a well-balanced diet.

• Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and sugared sodas.

• Accept all offers for help with cooking, cleaning, childcare, errands, and the like. If you aren't receiving offers, ask for help. It's hard, but trust us, your friends and family want to help and most will be honored you asked. If you can't get help for free, consider hiring a mother's helper, cleaning lady, or others who can give you a break.

• Don't isolate yourself. Talking to friends, relatives, and other new moms about your birth experience and life with a newborn can help you cope.

38 Weeks

 

Today was busy!  I had a chiropractor appointment at 8am.  Today was my first appointment with a lady who specializes in pregnancy.  My back has been bothering me a lot throughout this pregnancy and I finally decided I had had enough.  Maureen recommended this chiropractor (Amber Moravac) to me so I decided to give her a try.  I’m feeling a lot better already.  Amber says that being aligned allows labor to move along a lot quicker...I said “sign me up”!  :)

Then, from 9am until 2pm we had our Birthing From Within class at our house – this was part 2.  We really enjoyed the class and getting to know Melissa Mendez (the instructor) and Amanda & Benjamin (the other couple who joined us for the class). I made waffles and eggs, so we had breakfast, then we had class. 

Ryun and I just had a couple hours to relax before our next event for the day!  Tonight at 5pm was Ryun’s Christmas party for work.  We had supper at W.A. Frost and then we had a gift exchange.  We had a good time.  It had been awhile since I’d seen several of the ladies, so it was fun to catch up.

Below are our pictures from before the party:

Sunday I served on worship team at church.  As long as baby doesn’t come, I’ll get to sing once more at the end of the month, then I will take a break for awhile.

Monday was Ryun’s “Rollout” for work.  Everything went GREAT and in a week or so, his work schedule will drastically lighten up.  We’re both glad that baby didn’t make an early surprise arrival during the conversion and rollout process.

I had my regular checkup this week with my midwife-in-training, Kate, on Monday afternoon.  Kate is filling in for Maureen this week since Maureen has been out of town the last two weeks visiting family.  Pinkberry’s heartbeat is good and she is moving around a lot.  Kate thought it felt like she was about 5.5 pounds.

I spent Tuesday scrapbooking with some friends.  I have made quite a bit of progress on my wedding album in the past few months, but I still have a lot to finish.  I think this will be my last day of working on it until life settles down again. 

Wednesday and Thursday I did a lot of cleaning around the house.  I am definitely nesting now and it is great!  I love to have a clean house, but I just haven’t had enough energy to take care of it lately.  Thursday I took some time away from the toothbrush and met up with some friends (Meg, Kelly, & Tina) for lunch at the Rainforest Cafe in the MOA.  Then that evening our condo’s first floor had a Progressive Appetizer Christmas Party.  Everyone made an appetizer and drink to share and then we went from condo to condo.  It went from 7pm – 11pm.  It was a lot of fun!  We are already excited for next year’s! :)

Friday night Kaci & Jeremy, and Michele joined us for supper.  I made Swiss Steak.  Lately we are always having supper together at one of our places.  It is nice to not have to worry about cooking every night – we just switch off.  

 
Katie is not happy about her outfit, or the –20 wind-chill.
She really doesn’t mind the boots when she is outside, but she is definitely begging for sympathy in this picture!

Baby’s new snowsuit :)  Got it at Macy’s for over 1/2 off!  It is so soft!!!

 
Had to try out my new apple peeler…

Sunday night craving!  Yummmmmm…Apple Pie

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

See what your baby looks like this week.

How your life's changing:

Quick Clicks

• Caring for a newborn: Tips from new parents
• Twenty tips from breastfeeding veterans
• Breech birth
• Baby Poop 101
• Swollen extremities (edema) during pregnancy

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.

Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if you have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

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Everything has been going really well.  I’ve had a definite increase in contractions, but other than that I have been feeling great.  I haven’t had much swelling…sometimes just a little in my ankles at night if I have been on my feet a lot during the day.