31 WEEKS DOWN, 9 TO GO!

I'm 31 weeks pregnant today! Only 63 more days until my due date! And baby Ben will be full term in 42 days. :-)

According to www.babycenter.com:
"This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy."

According to my iPregnancy iPhone app:
"Your baby boy continues to gain weight as increasing amounts of fat are deposited in the skin. This will cause his skin to become increasingly opaque in color. The hair on his head is more prominent, and the eyebrows and eyelashes have fully developed. Lanugo continues its slow disappearance. The survival rate for babies born at 31 weeks is about 96%; of surviving infants, the rate of serious medical complications is about 20%. Remember that survival and complications rates are highly dependent on the baby's sex and race as well as the quality of the NICU. The baby's eyesight is improving, and the iris can dilate and constrict in response to light and dark; however, his vision remains far from 20/20. The iris is starting to become pigmented. Most light-skinned babies are born with blue eyes, whereas dark-skinned babies are usually born with brown eyes. The final eye color may take up to six months to be defined."


(photo courtesy of www.babycenter.com)

CHILDBIRTH CLASSES: DAY TWO

Yesterday (Sunday), was Day Two of our Childbirth Classes at St. David's Medical Center.

The agenda was:

Session #3 (Day Two - Before Lunch)
Opening Video
What to expect when you go to the hospital
-normal routines and admitting procedures
-electronic fetal monitoring, IV fluids
Labor Variations, Obstetrical Procedures and Medical Interventions
-induction and augmentation of labor
-assisted delivery
Pain Management Options
-IV Narcotics
-Epidural Analgesia
Labor Scenarios - Rehearsal and Review

Session #4 (Day Two - After Lunch)
Cesarean Birth Video and Discussion
Tour of Labor and Delivery, Nursery, and Postpartum Units
Stage 4 - Recovery (the first 2 hours) and Postpartum (the next 6 weeks)
Question and Answer
Evaluations

It was another information-filled day. My favorite part of the day was the tour. The labor & delivery rooms are so nice! As are the recovery rooms. And we got to go by the nursery and see the newborn babies. MELTED MY HEART! It just made me even more excited about meeting my little boy! :-)

After the classes, and several discussions with Mark, I have made a decision on a birth plan.

Here is a "Pain Medications Preference Scale" that we received in the classes:

+10: She wants to feel nothing: desires anesthesia before labor begins. (An impossible extreme. If she has no interest in helping herself in labor, she needs to know she will have pain, and needs reassurance. She should discuss her wishes with her caregiver.)

+9: Fear of pain; lack of confidence that she will be able to cope; dependence on staff for pain relief. (Help her accept that she will have some pain. Suggest she discuss fears with caregiver or childbirth educator. She needs information and reassurance, without false expectations.)

+7: Definite desire for anesthesia as soon in labor as the doctor will allow it, or before labor becomes painful. (Be sure the caregiver is aware of her desire for early anesthesia and that she knows the potential risks. Learn whether this is possible in your hospital. Inform staff when you arrive.)

+5: Desire for epidural anesthesia in active labor (4-5 cm); willingness to cope until then, perhaps with narcotic medication. (Encourage her in breathing and relaxation. Know comfort measure. Suggest medications to her in labor as she approaches active labor.)

+3: Desire to use some pain medication, but wants as little as possible; plans to use self-help comfort measures for part of labor. (Plan to help her keep medication use low. Use comfort measures. Help her get medications when she wants them. Suggest reduced doses of narcotics or a "light and late" epidural block.

0: No opinion or preference. This is a rare attitude among pregnant women; but not uncommon among partners or support people. (Become informed. Discuss medications. Help her decide her preferences. If she has no preference ahead of time, follow her wishes during labor.)

-3: Prefers that pain medications be avoided, but wants medication as soon as she requests it in labor. (Do not suggest that she take pain medications. Emphasize coping techniques. Do not try to talk her out of pain medications.)

-5: Strong preference to avoid pain medications, mainly for benefit to baby and labor progress. Will accept medications for difficult or long labor. (Prepare yourself for a very active role. A doula will be most helpful for both the woman and partner. Know how to help her relax and use the breathing strategies. Know the comfort measures. Do not suggest medications. If she asks, interpret it as a need for more help and try different comfort measures and more intense emotional support first. You should, however, have a prearranged plan (e.g., a "last resort" code word) for how she can let you know she really has had enough and wants medication.)

-7: Very strong desire for natural childbirth, for sense of personal gratification as well as to benefit baby and labor progress. Will be disappointed if she uses medications. (Follow the recommendations for -5, but with even greater commitment. This means planning not to use pain medications, unless complications develop that require painful procedures, or she is unable to respond to intensive labor support techniques for several contractions in a row. If she asks for medication, plan to encourage alternative comfort measures.)

-9: Wants medication to be denied by staff, even if she asks for it. (This is very difficult for the support partner - to be responsible for her satisfaction. Promise to help all you can, but help her realize the final decision is not your. It is hers.)

-10: Wants no medication, even for cesarean delivery. (An impossible extreme. Encourage her to learn of complications that require painful interventions. Help her get a realistic understanding of risks and benefits of pain medications.)

On this scale, I fall right between a -5 and -7. So, I am probably around a -6. I will accept medication if the labor is just too intense, but I don't want it offered to me. And if I ask for it, I want my support person (Mark) and the caregivers to not give it to me right away, and make sure I want it. I am definitely going to have that "last resort" code work as the back up plan. I'm not doing this naturally for personal gratification. Not even a little bit. I am doing this for the benefit of my baby and labor progress.

I am on the fence on whether or not to get a doula. I know that it would be beneficial to me, and I think it would be equally (if not more!) beneficial to Mark. He might have a tough time continuing to support me if the labor ends up being long. If I get a doula, I figure it's that much more motivation to continue a natural delivery.

So, the decision is to deliver baby Ben naturally. Now, I need to make sure I'm mentally prepared for this!

CHILDBIRTH CLASSES: DAY ONE

Mark and I went to our first Childbirth Class at St. David's Medical Center, which will also be the hospital that we will deliver at. The class is two days long, today and tomorrow. So, just one weekend, from 10 AM to 4 PM each day.

Today, they covered a lot of topics. Here was the outline for today's class:

Session #1 (Day One, before lunch)
Introduction
Anatomy and Physiology of Pregnancy and Birth
Overview of Labor and Delivery
Pre-Labor vs "True" Labor Signs
Video: Stages of Labor
Discussion - Stage One
-early
-active
-transition
Relaxation Practice / Introduction to Slow Breathing

Session #2 (Day One, after lunch)
Opening Video: Tried and True
Coping Techniques for Labor - Discussion and Practice
-relaxation, breathing and massage
-focal points, visualization
-positioning to promote comfort and progress
Stage Two and Three - Pushing and Delivery of Baby and Placenta
Your Labor Bag - What to Pack
Homework Assignment

The class today was very interesting. A lot of things that were discussed weren't necessarily new topics for me, but it was nice to be able to go more in depth on some of those topics. My favorite part of the day was when we practiced the different positions to cope during labor. It really helped me to visual the moment of labor, and to understand better what Mark's role will be. I can already tell that he's going to be wonderful in that room with me! And that definitely gives me a lot of comfort, knowing that he'll be there next to my side.

Tomorrow should be an exciting day as well. We'll cover a lot of topics that I'll want to explore (i.e. drugs vs natural) and we will also be getting the hospital tour. :-)

MY BABY IS A SQUASH!

I am currently 30 weeks 5 days pregnant, so according to the growth chart on this website I check, my baby is about the size of a squash! This is for weeks 29-32 (Month 7). :-)

The website I refer to for this information says:

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.


(photo courtesy of http://community.thebump.com/)

30 WEEKS DOWN, 10 TO GO!

I can't believe I'm finally in the 30s! :-) I'm 30 weeks 1 day pregnant today! Just 9 weeks 6 days (69 days) left to go! Baby Ben will be considered "full term" in just 48 days!

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)"

According to the iPregnancy iPhone app:
"Your baby boy is gaining weight steadily, and the head is proportional relative to the rest of the body. The bones are hardening as more and more calcium is being stored. In males, the testicles have usually descended from the upper abdomen through the groin and into the scrotum. In females, the clitoris is the most prominent landmark because the labia have not developed fully. The fine hair coating called lanugo starts to disappear between now and birth. The survival rate for babies born at 30 weeks is about 95%; of surviving infants, the rate of serious medical complications is about 25%. Remember that survival and complications rates are highly dependent on the baby's sex and race as well as the quality of the NICU. Your baby weight about 3 pounds now and is about 16 inches long!"



(photo courtesy of www.babycenter.com)

BABY BEN'S SECOND 3D/4D ULTRASOUND

Over the weekend, we got to see our baby boy again at Storkvision! We had purchased the "Double The Fun" package, so we got to see him in 3D twice. :-) This time, we were joined by a crew of close friends and family! Thank you to all of you who joined us! It was so wonderful to share this amazing experience with you! (We got this ultrasound done at 29 weeks 5 days pregnant.)

He's just perfect!


I love how he scrunched his face up. :-)


Look at that beautiful smile! :-)


Love that little face already!


Here's an amazing video of little Ben, making some sucking motions with his mouth. You can also kind of see his eyes flutter open and closed, as well as seeing his chest move up and down with his breathing. :-)