Heartburn = Baby Has Lots of Hair?

I look forward to finding out if this "Old Wive's Tale" one is true!

I have begun to experience more and more heartburn with this pregnancy. With Zyler, I only had it at night when I lay down, and well into the third trimester.

Some natural remedies that can help (which I have yet to try):

• raw almonds
• yogurt
• spacing out eating and drinking
• papaya tablets
  

 Have others to share? It seems to be worse with spicy foods, so I will probably need to watch that.

A Plan and Mini Update

Once again, we have a plan of action. Such a relief! So much to be thankful for in this Thanksgiving season...

Janna has a contact who is a CNM (certified nurse midwife) and a CPM (certified professional midwife), and that midwife also works with another combo CNM-CPM midwife. We consulted and had a lovely discussion, and afterward, due to their schedule constraints, they decided I would see each of them at every other visit (Janna will attend every visit). All 3 ladies expressed interest in being at the birth, so Jason and I really feel as though we are getting a "3-for-1" kind of a deal. A few of the details are a bit confusing the way they want to organize it, but overall I am feeling a great sense of peace about our decision. These 2 certified midwives are very experienced in just about every setting imaginable!

I never sit down to stare at the "tube" very often and happened to watch several back-to-back episodes of A Baby Story, which depicts traditional births in a hospital setting. It made me even more confident with our home birth plan.

I am feeling well overall and "Peanut" is moving lots. I can tell she is getting stronger each day. That's right, we're expecting a girl! Part of me is not getting overly excited for a girl as I half expect her to grow that extra appendage that was somehow hiding during the ultrasound.

Zyler is 22 months old and is talking a ton. He tried to repeat just about anything we say, so watch your language! ;-) Sometimes I will ask him to say "hi" to the baby in my belly and he will give my belly a hug. Too precious!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Some Bad News...

First off, Peanut is fine! We had our ultrasound last week... more on that later!

My midwife called me as I was almost home on Friday. She has to "release me from care" to put it in legal terms. She had a terrible loss a few of weeks ago. Her best friend died in a terrible car accident and left behind 8 children who look to V. as their second mother. Needless to say, she has been through a lot of stress, and, through prayer, came to the conclusion that she needs to withdraw from midwifery right now.

I completely understand her position and respect her decision 100%. I am very thankful that she did not try to "do it all" and then realize in my 30+ weeks period that she couldn't pull through for me. However, with all the time and discernment I have put into the decision to home birth and interview and find the right midwife for me, I was heartbroken and very upset all evening.

Right now we are leaning toward hiring her student assistant who I am very familiar with already, Janna Grapperhaus. She is close to being a CPM but not quite finished, and she has some options for me of CPMs she can hire to supervise her. Many details to figure out and questions to ask, but I have recently heard rave reviews of Janna's services and abilities which makes me all the more confident in her as a midwife.

Please keep us in your prayers during this discernment process (once again)!

Baby "Nudges"

I've been feeling little baby "nudges" (as I like to call them) or "flutters" for about a week now. Very reassuring that baby is well... Go baby!! :-)

Pregnancy & Lactation Tea

My midwife requires use of this "NORA" tea for all her clients and believes in its benefits strongly for the health of mama, baby, and to help prevent potential problems during labor.

I prepare it each night and drink a quart of it each day! I am new to tea infusions, the taste took some getting used to, but now it is becoming habit and I am starting to actually enjoy the taste.

If you would like to ask her more questions about it or purchase the tea mixture (1 lb for $12.00), please contact her directly at the phone number or address at the end of the document.

First Midwife Appointment

... was Wednesday.
Baby: hr 148 bmp via Doppler; fundal height on target. That "thump thump" sound of the heartbeat is one of the best sounds ever!
Me: BP 110/76; weight up about 7 lb

One of Vickie's assistants did my physical. I am in great health! Yay! :o)

We also discussed the financial agreement and she went over all the rest of the mountain of documents she gave me. She mentioned she was going to drop her billing service but can keep it for me if I want it... What all does submitting your own claims entail? That would be new territory for us. I am crossing my fingers that Southern Health is going to cover part of this birth expense and not just labs and office visits... I have heard different results.

Next appt: in 2 weeks. Need to finalize financial agreement and return my health history and nutritional profile forms.

Baby Movements

I think I felt those amazing "flutters" earlier today of the baby moving. I think.

Of course, a pregnant lady is pretty darn gassy, too. :o)

Headaches

Early 2nd trimester... I have been fighting a horrible headache today. This morning at work the meeting I sat in on was difficult to focus. It actually helped to wear my glasses though. I called my midwife and she thought it was most likely I did not have enough protein yesterday. Interesting! I was watching my protein intake well for the first several weeks but have slacked. Headaches were inconsistent and annoying but had stopped for the last couple of weeks until today. I will try to do better and see if I notice a consistent improvement. Aren't our bodies amazing? Usually there is some sort of message they are sending us -- but sometimes the challenge is interpreting that message!

26w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby weighs more than 2 lbs (1000g), measures 9.6 inches from crown to rump (24cm) and its total length is about 15.3 inches (34cm). If your baby were born now, she would have about an 85% chance of surviving. Nonetheless, your baby still needs another 13 weeks of in utero development to be considered full term.
• Your baby's eyes, no longer fused shut, are now open.
• Your baby's skin still has a very wrinkled appearance, but it is protected and nourished by the covering of vernix, a waxy coating that keeps the skin supple.
• Your baby looks almost like a full term baby, but is still much thinner and smaller than she will be at birth.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

25w 1d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby weighs just under 2 pounds (850g) and could possibly survive if delivered now. Your baby measures approximately 9.2 inches (23cm) from crown to rump.
• He is growing fast and gaining weight now. His skin is less transparent and is becoming opaque as fat builds up.
• Your baby's heart is beating 120 to 160 beats per minute, as you have already heard at several doctor or midwife visits.
• Until now, your baby's eyes have been sealed shut, but he reopens them this week. The eyes are almost fully formed and the retinas contain all the layers they will have when your baby is born. Your baby's eyes are blue right now, no matter the ethnic origin or eye-color of you and your partner since eyes do not acquire their final color until months after birth.
• Your baby is lean right now, but is getting fatter all the time as fat is being deposited. Your baby's skin is getting thicker and paler and is becoming less red and wrinkled as more fat is deposited.
• Your baby has eyebrows, eyelashes and fingernails, though all are short and need to grow more.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

24wk 6d - Weight Gain to Date

The white lines indicate the normal 25-35 lb gain.

24 Week Belly Bump

24w 4d - Ups & Downs

Downs

• still a lot on that pre-baby "to-do" list
• only 108 days left (+/-)
  
• lower self body image :-/
  
• sooo many pediatricians and family doctors - just 1 baby!
• increased appetite; can't get enough to eat at work
• to vaccinate... delay... or not to vaccinate?
  

Ups

• good midwife appointment Wednesday
• BP 118/70
• belly measurement/fundal height right on target (24 cm)
• FHT (fetal heart tone) 144 bpm
• received hospital pre-registration info. discussed necessary hospital fetal monitoring
• received glucose drink for consumption prior to 28-wk appointment and glucose blood test
• more frequent baby kicks
• HypnoBirthing classes start in 1 week (hopefully - we've had scheduling conflicts)
• reading HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method - very inspirational!
  

24w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby now weighs around 1.5 lbs (700g), and measures about 8.8 inches (22cm) from crown to rump, but this varies from baby to baby.
• Your doctor should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat, using a stethoscope or Doppler ultrasound device. If your partner puts his ear right on your belly in the right position, he might even be able to hear it unaided if there is no background noise.
• Your baby sleeps and wakes in a more regular pattern now. You may notice that your baby is particularly active when you are resting.
• The center of your baby's bones are beginning to harden.
• If your baby is a boy, the testes will start to descend into the scrotum now. If your baby is a girl, the vagina will begin to hollow out and mature now.
• Your baby can make a fist now and may already have a preference for the right or left hand.
• With modern medical technology, your baby would have a chance to survive if it were born now.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

23w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby is now about 8.4 inches from crown to rump (21cm) and weighs about 1.2 pounds (530g).
• Your baby's face and body now look more like a full-term baby. She now looks close to how she will look at birth.
• The eyes, though they are still closed, are now close together on the front of the face and the ears are in their final position. Eyelashes are fairly well-developed and hair is growing on your baby's head.
• Your baby's movements are becoming more restricted now as she fills up the uterus more. Cartwheels and somersaults inside the amniotic sac are no longer possible, but she can still hold the umbilical cord and touch and feel around her. Though your baby is already living in tight quarters in the amniotic sac, she will soon have even less room to move around.
• Her vital organs are now quite mature. However, since the lungs are not yet fully formed, your baby would have breathing problems if born prematurely at this stage.
• Your baby is becoming increasingly conscious of the world outside and may feel startled when you are startled.
• Your baby may alternate between having very active and very calm periods.
• Your baby may have facial expressions such as frowning, squinting and pursing of the lips.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

22w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby now weighs almost 1 lb (450g) and measures about 8 inches (20cm) from crown to rump.
• She is becoming plumper as her fat is being laid down at a high rate, but her skin is still wrinkled and reddish. The wrinkled and loose appearance of her skin is due to the faster production of her skin than the fat that fills it out. The reddish appearance of her skin is due to the deposition of pigment as her skin loses its translucent appearance.
• Your baby can kick and punch vigorously by now, but she may also be gently feeling the umbilical cord and rubbing her hands and face against the inside membrane of the amniotic sac that holds her.
• She is still swallowing amniotic fluid (which provides an important nutritional supplement to the nutrition she gets from you via the placenta) and is passing some of it as urine. The swallowing of the amniotic fluid may cause your baby to get the hiccups and you may even be able to feel this as her body jumps inside yours.
• The lanugo hair on your baby's body may turn darker at this time.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

21w 6d - Ups & Downs

Downs

• SI (sacroiliac) joint pain
• Heartburn
• Hemorrhoids
  
• Sooo many car seats (and other products) and cool names; just 1 baby
• Home renovations
• So many pregnancy and childbirth books; just 4 months left to read them
• So many breast pumps; um, just 2 breasts
  

Ups

• Naps
• Healthy ultrasound reports
• Helpful and generous parents with home renovations
• Pregnancy clothes that finally fit
• Discussing baby names with the father of your child (we're accepting suggestions--feel free to comment!)
• Fetal movement
• even better: Fetal movement when your hubby feels it on the outside too
  

Please Play Our Baby Game

Guess what gender we're having and more! Check out this site to place your vote: http://expectnet.com/games/kitefamily

21w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby measures about 7.6 inches (19cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 12.25 ounces (350g).
• Eyebrows have developed.
• His digestive system now functions in a rudimentary manner. Undigested amniotic fluid passes into his bowel which he will eventually excrete after birth. Your baby can suck and swallow and may even suck his thumb.
• Your baby's senses are developing, especially his sense of touch. He can feel his face and stroke his arms and legs.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

20 Week Belly Bump