Sunday, March 18, 2012

36 Weeks Pregnant - The Final, Final Stretch!

My wife is now at 36 weeks pregnant. My baby girl is now 6 pounds and is 18-1/2 inches long from her head to heels, weighs as much as a Crenshaw Melon! She's now losing her covering of thin peach fuzz hair and the waxy material that covered her skin called the vernix caseosa. Ever gotten out of a hot bath after sitting for awhile and got wrinkly skin? Well, this covering helps the baby stay wrinkle free in the amniotic fluid for 9 months.

This week, my wife's prenatal exams have increased in frequency to weekly. Our midwife started checking the cervix and there is no dilation yet. She'll check every week and it can help them gauge how far off the start of labor is.

This week my wife and I have finally felt like we can see the light at the end of the long and arduous tunnel of pregnancy. I think it's a relief mentally for her to be at this point now, but there's still the anxiety of the actual pending birth which although we've prepared for, we are still uncertain and nervous.

The biggest thing weighing on our mind, which is probably the same for most people, is the pain at birth. We are hoping to have a water birth, however there are many factors that can prevent this. (ie. too much blood loss, unsafe increase in fetal heart rate, no pain meds allowed in the water, and being able to physically get in and out of the water without assistance)

We are learning to take comfort in the little things we can control: our diets (we're both trying to eat more fruits and veggies), our mental health (taking time to relax and de-stress), feeling and hearing the baby's heartrate (my mom is a nurse and gave us one of her stethoscopes), and just knowing that the end is near.

I'm not ashamed to admit, as a new dad to be I'm stressed about it and kind of scared terrified at times. I mean, I think no matter how much you prepare, the thought of having a little life before you that you're absolutely 100% responsible for their well-being 24/7/365 is enough to put stone cold fear into any man before he learns how to do it. I've wondered if I was ready, and even had days where I questioned myself, but I know I have what it takes. I need to remember to breathe, and know that I was born to do this, I am equipped with all the necessary skills, and wherever I lack knowledge I will quickly learn and re-learn as I go.


Sympathy Weight Update: UNCHANGED, at 206 lbs, my sympathy weight gained stands at 21 lbs so far.

Well that's all for now, next week my baby will be as long as a swiss chard... what the heck is a swiss chard - see it here???

See How My Baby's Growing at 36 Weeks

See What's Happening Inside the Fetus this Week

See how big my baby is getting week by week, now she weighs as much as a Crenshaw Melon! Ouch!!!

Monday, March 12, 2012

35 Weeks Pregnant - Finalized our Birth Plan!

My wife is now at 35 weeks pregnant. My baby girl is now 5-1/4 pounds and over 18 inches long from her head to heels, weighs as much as a Honeydew Melon! There's not much room to maneuver now that she's running out of room in the uterus.

According to Babycenter guest blogger Katie Marsh Lord, 35 weeks pregnant marks the start of the "Pathetic" stage of pregnancy. This blogger also refers to it as the very uncomfortable, very pregnant, and kind of over it stage. (My wife says that is SO true!)

The pathetic stage was a term coined by this blogger's husband as she says one of the most bone-headed things he said during her pregnancy. I can sympathize because I've had my share of bone-headed moments as a new dad.

As we're nearing the end, we are preparing. My wife is cutting back her hours at work to 6.5 hours a day instead of 8. She has become much more exhausted and cannot work full time anymore. We've also heard it's good to start making double portions of dinners and freezing them for when we have our little one home from the hospital and we are shorter on time. We also need to think of what to start packing for a hospital bag. According to Babycenter, here are some good things to pack:

Hospital Bag Packing List

•drivers license
•birth plan
•glasses
•toiletries
•bathrobe
•camera
•money
•anything else helpful

Speaking of a Birth Plan, this week is a good time to finalize one if you haven't already. My wife Nikki just finished ours, and here it is:


Our Birth Plan

Plan A: Water Birth

Plan B: Deliver using a variety of pushing positions- avoiding laying on back during pushing.

Care Preferences: Natural comfort measures (water therapy, massage, moving around), Minimal interventions, IV pain medication as a last resort, NO Epidural

After Delivery:
•Baby placed skin-to-skin immediately (goo and all).
•Cord Blood Banked immediately
•Avoid any testing or treatments such as antibiotic eye cream application, blood testing, and first bath until after first feeding.
•Skin-to-Skin contact as much as possible.


Sympathy Weight Update: Gained 2, now at 206 lbs, my sympathy weight gained stands at 21 lbs so far. (This may or may not have had something to do with increased fast food intake) :)

Well that's all for now, next week my baby will weigh as much as a crenshaw melon... what the heck is a crenshaw melon - see it here???

See How My Baby's Growing at 35 Weeks

See What's Happening Inside the Fetus this Week

See how big my baby is getting week by week, now she weighs as much as a Honeydew Melon! Ouch!!!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

34 Weeks Pregnant - Crib Assembly, Finishing Nursery

My wife is now at 34 weeks pregnant. My baby girl is now 4-3/4 pounds and 18 inches long from her head to heels, weighs as much as a Cantaloupe! There's not a lot going on in there besides the baby getting fatter. Her fat layers which help regulate her body temperature after being born are filling out giving her that rounder, plumper look that we all love babies to have :) Also this week her central nervous system and lungs are becoming more sophisticated every day preparing for life outside the womb. Our baby is now completely viable, meaning, if my wife Nikki went into labor early our baby should be just fine with a possible stay in the neonatal unit.

So this is now crunch time! This is the last several weeks until the baby comes. My wife and I are scrambling to finish last minute tasks that we won't have time for soon like finishing the nursery. I just finished putting together the crib my mom purchased for us. I made a short time lapse of me putting it together:


Crib Assembly Time Lapse

I also need to finish the rest of the nursery by touching up paint, setting up the furniture, and purchasing an air filter so our beautiful baby's lungs stay healthy. Of course, she will be sleeping in her bassinet in our room at first.

My wife Nikki is starting to reach the point where she just wants the baby out. The fatigue is wearing on her and it's hard for her to get quality sleep with the tossing and turning as well as more frequent trips to the bathroom.

I wish I could take some of the burden off her shoulders. If I could I would carry the baby, I would love to experience pregnancy first hand if that was possible. However, I probably would not handle it nearly as well as her, and would probably be complaining much, much more. As strong as us guys can be, I don't think we could handle the pain of pregnancy well.

What do you think about that? Take my survey to the Right of the page >>>>>>
Chime in on your opinion about men carrying a baby if that was possible, and thanks!

Sympathy Weight Update:Unchanged at 204 lbs, my sympathy weight gained stands at 19 lbs so far.

Well that's all for now, next week my baby will weigh as a cantaloupe... GOOD GOD, believe it or not! I feel so bad for my poor wife. I love her so much!

See How My Baby's Growing at 34 Weeks

See What's Happening Inside the Fetus this Week

See how big my baby is getting week by week, now she weighs as much as a Cantaloupe! Ouch!!!