5.22.2013

36 (& 1/2) weeks!


36 weeks, with baby june!


 Baby size: honeydew! and my doctor said i'm measuring average-sized.

Stretch marks:
sigh. yes. last week they started coming back.

Sleep: not great the past few nights. my sister and i walked a lot the past few days, so my hips have been aching. i'm planning on taking it easy today to see if that helps a bit.

Foods I am loving: salad, pears, avocado, chocolate milk

Foods I am hating: pasta, most pork, most beef

Best moment this week: my sweet sister came to visit! the last month of pregnancy is so tough, and i've been having a hard time keeping up with zu, so karen offered to come help me out this week. we went thrifting and finished decorating junie's nursery, and spent much of the time playing with little zu. she adores her aunt kakki--every morning she woke up calling for Kakki Kakki Kakki!


Movement: oh yes, she kicks and rolls around all the time!

Symptoms: some braxton hicks, short on breath (baby on the diaphragm), tired, BUT less nausea! i haven't thrown up in at least a week!

What I'm looking forward to:  meeting this babygirl in person! the doctor said that there's no progress yet though, so i likely have a few weeks.

On Avoiding being a Smug-Mama: i read .this great article. today that really resonated with me. praise God that things don't always go as we plan them!

On Tests: i don't have GBS this time!

On Childbirth: my doctors are strongly encouraging me to go natural. i had a bad reaction to the epidural last time (my blood pressure plummeted, causing stress to zu's heartrate and for me to be on oxygen/bedrest the entire labor), and they said that i likely will have that same reaction if i have a full epidural again. right now it looks like my options are to have a "test dose" of epidural only, to have systemic pain medicine, or to go natural. there's drawbacks to each, but right now i'm leaning towards going natural if i possibly can, then getting the "test dose" if i can't take the pain anymore, which is what my doctors have recommended as well.

so i guess i'm going to start youtubing breathing techniques this week...oh my

Emotions: calm. i was starting to get anxious about her coming, but i got so much preparation done this week, i feel like i can just sit back and enjoy these last few weeks of being a family of three.

{ zu at 37 weeks }

8 comments:

  1. such a great article!!! i hope baby june's labor and delivery are smooth and as painfree as possible. i can't believe she will be here so soon!

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  2. I'm so happy you don't have to worry about GBS this time around! I didn't realize that you didn't respond well to the epi last time; at the very least, if you end up getting another one, maybe getting it later in the process will help a lot. I'll be praying for you. :)

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    1. thanks-- & i hope that yours goes away soon!

      i used to think that i had just had too heavy a dose of epidural, but my doctors have told me that its more likely that i just don't react well to epidurals. which kind of sucks because i would rather Have one!!! i'm hoping the test dose will be enough to get me through the worst of it if i can't take it.

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  3. Thanks for sharing that article; it was fantastic!

    If you have any questions about going natural, email me. I'd be glad to offer any help I can.

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    1. thanks erin, i will send an email your way soon!

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  4. i would say that you need to definately focus on relaxation techniques (as opposed to breathing techniques...) "hee hee hoo hoo" kind of breathing can deprive your body of the oxygen it needs at a critical time. maybe google a little about bradley method childbirth? it helped me keeping my voice low and jaw open and trying to concentrate on being "open" and embracing the pain instead of fighting it.
    also, low lights, bath/birthing pool, sitting on the toilet, calming movies (anne and Pride&Prejudice) (or music), counter-pressure (ended up being foot massage for me) and being able to drink juice during labor were so, so helpful for me. of course, different things will help you relax. figure out what they are and use them!
    oh! i also had a dose (maybe two?!) of IV medication...i forget what its called, but its just a little something. i think it mentally helps more than anything. i got my dose right during transition, i think, and it helped a lot!

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    1. thanks Julie, that helps a lot actually, i have no idea where to start with this!

      i was thinking i might go by the library and look up some books on natural labor today. its something i've thought about before but always decided against--having my doctors Wanting me to do it though makes a difference.

      its good to hear that the IV medicine isn't all bad--the doctor i talked to yesterday said that some women like it and some don't--maybe though i can have that to get me through the worst of it instead of the epidural. i just don't want to be passing out like last time

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