Week 34: The Aches and Pains Begin

Well, I must say up until now I've had very little complain about physically in pregnancy, but this week my body seems to be falling apart!

First, (this started a few weeks ago), my foot hurts on and off. It all started with an uncomfortable shoe. I'm the queen of uncomfortable shoes. I've worn terrible shoes most of my adult life including the cheapest high heels money can buy, but I have gotten much better lately. Normally, when I wear a shoe and have a little pain, it goes away when the shoe comes off. If it's persistent, it'll stay for an hour. If I walked in the uncomfortable shoe for a whole day (like on a Europe trip), my feet might be sore for a day. Well, apparently pregnancy has changed all that because this pair, which had decent support and minor discomfort caused foot pain lasted for nearly a week! For the first two days I could barely walk. Now, it still comes back a little if I do a lot of walking. What is going on?!

Second, yesterday I hurt my knee. "How?" you ask. Kneeling. Yes. Kneeling. I kneeled, sitting on my heels for about 1 minute and when I got up my knee hurt so badly I could barely walk. I tried putting ice on it and resting it and walking on it and nothing seemed to help. Today it's much better, but holy cow, it scared me! I guess I really need to watch out because that relaxin hormone in my body is no joke! I've suddenly become fragile! That word never applied to me before.

Third, I think I'm getting some weird nausea symptoms again. I feel both hungry and nauseous at the same time most days. I eat and then feel sick or stuffed. But I feel sick or stuffed when I have gnawing hunger pains too. I'm confused, so I just eat a whole bunch and that normally helps!

Fourth, I won't go into detail, but some of the uglier symptoms of pregnancy have been appearing. What have I gotten myself into?!

In other news, I started doing some more research on cloth diapering. We planned to use a diaper service, but when I did more research on how to wash cloth diapers and examined the cost of that with the diaper service, I could save about $40 a month washing them myself. So I am probably going to try to do cloth diapering (prefolds. All the other types are too complicated) on my own and then if it's too hard, I'll do the service.

Lately, I've been really trying to be more frugal and it's a good thing because we found out this week that my husband is going to be laid off in three weeks. During that time, he will look for a job internally, but if he doesn't find anything he gets a little severance (not much though). It's pretty crappy as it coincides directly with my maternity leave, which will be a bit of a financial strain as it is. We will be ok. I still have my job and most of my leave will be paid at some level. Plus, we have some savings set aside. We didn't want to use them, though, so hopefully my income will be sufficient for the time being. On the up side, he'll be around a lot more. I just hope that it won't distract him from being able to find a job and he'll be able to find one quickly! So do keep us in your thoughts and prayers that he will find a new job soon.

35 Weeks Pregnant Belly Pic

Taken on our beautiful hike to Fremont Older Open space preserve Jan. 29!

Bad News about Aaron's Job

Aaron just found out today that he's going to be laid off in 3 weeks. That means his last day would be February 19. His boss and boss' boss are trying to help him find another job in the company, but I don't know how likely it is that he can find a job. Hopefully he can and that will be the end of it, but if he doesn't, then he only gets about 6 weeks severance pay (which is great, except that it will be exactly coinciding with the birth of our daughter and my leave, making it harder for him to concentrate on finding a job). If he doesn't find any job at that time, then I will probably have to go back to work earlier and that means the pressure is on me to be the major income earner in the family and all the benefits have to be through me and everything! I'm really worried he won't find one for a while and it will be all on me (and the financial burden of the baby will strain our finances)...

Aaron seems not at all worried about it, but I am very upset. This combined with all the problems that have been happening with my boss I can't imagine trying to shorten my leave at this point.

And, I know this is totally selfish, but I was really hoping that the maternity leave time that I was off--at least in the beginning--would be mine. I go on leave on February 12, so he'll pretty much be off at the exact same time as me, which will be great after the baby is born, but not so great if he doesn't find a job and I have to immediately go back to work.

34 Weeks Pregnant Belly Pic

33 Weeks Pregnant Belly Pic

Week 32 Belly Pic

Diapers and other thoughts

Well, it's been a rainy week here. I'm working from home now and I love it. We rearranged our house so the "office" is now in the living room facing the big window that looks outside. I love being able to see out, but all I've seen for a week now is clouds! I'm ready for some sun!

I scheduled our birthday party (Aaron's and mine) at a tikki bar at the end of February, so hopefully we'll be able to attend that. It's the weekend before the baby is due, so it really is cutting it close.

I was doing a cost analysis of cloth diapers today and I'm not totally convinced (like I was) that cloth diaper service is cheaper than doing my own laundry. At this point, I've made no real plans or arrangements to buy or launder my own diapers. But, even if I washed the diapers every 2-3 days in 2 cycles, it would still cost about half the price of diaper service, not including the cost of diapers, so I have no idea what I was thinking... I guess I'll have to take a look at it when the time gets closer and consider doing some diaper laundering ourselves...

And, I know I say this every time I write something on here, but the baby is getting HUGE! Seriously! Enormous! She is strong and now has less space. I can tell because she will just push against one side or move her elbow along my uterus or something rather than feel like she is totally changing positions. It's amazing and crazy at the same time. I continue to be impressed with how her movements change. She also consistently is pressing on some part of my belly most of the time. I guess she doesn't have much space in there and that's the best she can do to make the most of her space! And it continues to tickle/hurt/startle me when she makes her big movements. What fun! I'll really miss this when she comes out.

Week 33: Starting to get ready

After a fairly stressful encounter with my boss last week, I decided that it might be less stressful for me to work from home so I didn't have to go into the office everyday and face her and other stressors. I talked to my midwife about it and she agreed. She wrote a note recommending that I work from home because of signs of preterm labor. They hooked me up to the machines and everything to check. Now, don't panic! Everything is fine. I haven't been having contractions or anything, but if I get too stressed out I really could put myself and the baby at risk. My boss agreed to let me work from home unless I have an important meeting I need to be in the office for, so I feel relieved! Only 3 weeks left until I can go on maternity leave and now I can spend most of those days in my pajamas!

Some friends of mine are throwing me a shower next weekend and they want to paint onesies at the shower. So I went through all the clothes and other items I have gotten already to determine what size onesies they should buy and realized that I have a number of items in newborn and small sizes, especially onesies, but that I need the larger sizes. It was pretty fun going through all the baby stuff I have already, if a little overwhelming trying to think about organizing it all!

I am really anxiously awaiting maternity leave, and hoping that baby doesn't come early, so I can properly prepare for her arrival! I have so much left to get for her--a place to sleep, a changing pad, a breast pump, all sorts of bottles, but I really can't go shopping for these things either until I have my showers. I'm really having trouble hanging out at home and not having stuff ready! I guess I'm ready for that nesting instinct to kick into high gear, and for me to have the luxury of time to indulge it!

In other news, I've stopped knitting baby socks because I seem to suddenly have about 20 pairs of them (not all ones I knitted though)! Now I'm on to knitting diaper covers and wool soakers for her out of fun-colored yarn and I'm sewing some yummy bamboo baby washcloths and hooded towels. I bought the bamboo terry awhile ago and it is absolutely one of my most favorite fabrics ever! I am also sewing a few baby slings--one for me and one for a friend. Should be fun, quick projects that will use up lots of the fabric I've collected for baby!

To exchange or not to exchange a gift

Please do not judge me too harshly, dear reader, but I am beginning to see the benefit of exchanging gifts for store credit.

Why is this occurring to me just now? Well, I am faced with a mass of gifts for the upcoming arrival of my baby and I'm starting to see a large amount of overlap on things I won't need as much of and a lot less of what I really need.

There are a few reasons why exchanging gifts for credit appeals to me:
1. People have different tastes - there are some things people have given me that I just plain don't like or don't want, even though I deeply appreciate the thought.
2. I have limited space - people have given me bulk amounts of certain items and I just don't have the room to store them.
3. Some people have not given me gift receipts or have given me second-hand items, which means that I have large numbers of items I can't return, making items I did receive receipts for something I can turn into things I can use.
4. There are some very large, expensive items I will need that I can use that store credit towards. As Rachel says in Friends, "Wouldn't you want me to exchange your gift for something I really want and can get a lot of use out of?" i.e. Credit!

This obsession with keeping our house clean and clutter to a minimum is shaping every aspect of my life, to the point where I'm now considering exchanging some Christmas gifts I received. I won't use the item much, most likely, but we're trying to keep baby costs low, and I could use the credit towards that or other items I need more (or might prefer over the gift).

As a gift-giver, I would much rather see my friends and family exchange a gift for something they would like or need than hate the gift or give it away.

I don't know if you think the same. Do you think it's offensive when someone returns an item you purchased for them?

Minimalist Baby Stuff

I know this is terrible, but I feel a little smug about the fact that we are doing everything for the baby as minimalist as possible.

People say, "Have you painted the room yet?" and I practically gag with laughter. HA! A room? A whole room? For the baby? We have a 2 bedroom apartment and we are planning on the baby co-sleeping with us, so we have part of a room set aside for playing and rocking and reading, and that's about it. Plus, we rent. I don't get why people ask this question around here because nearly everyone I know rents.

Second, all these expecting women go on and on about buying baby cribs and baby bedding and take pictures of the whole room all set up with a changing table and the baby's name stenciled on the wall. And I'm like, "Really? REALLY?" I get that people think they need a lot of things because we are sort of told we need a lot of things and I guess if you had the room for it, you might think getting a lot of things was a good idea, but it seems a bit silly.

You don't need to have a crib right away and in their own room. I mean, you have to physically GET UP every few hours to get to the baby at night. Do you really want to walk to the other side of the house or even the room for that? Especially if you are breastfeeding... ugh... So lots of people do a bassinet first. If they do that, why get the crib? Why set it up months before you'll need it? We are waiting on that purchase until baby outgrows the co-sleeper at 5 months or so...

Then bedding. All you really need is a sheet, right? You don't need a bumper, because those are actually supposed to be harmful because there is a potential for the baby to suffocate or get stuck in them. And you really don't need the little skirt at the bottom. You definitely don't need blankets, because of the risk of suffocation again. So all you need is a sheet and something warm for them to sleep in (like a sleep sack). That's it!

Then the changing table. I thought maybe I needed this. Now, I'm completely convinced that not only do I not need it, but I don't have the space! I'm getting a changing pad and that's the best I can do. From what I hear you also never use the changing table either. You change the baby wherever you are. And that makes sense to me. So we aren't buying those either.

Then there's the issue of decor. Frankly, with no crib, no changing table, no bedding, and no real room of her own, I'm not really sure why I would need to decorate even part of the room for the baby. It's not like she's going to even notice it at her age, right? I figured I'd wait on that part until the room really becomes hers and she can even have a say in what she likes. That really won't happen for at least 6 months, and probably a few years, in which case we'll probably have moved by then anyway!

Strangely, the one thing we do have a lot of is toys and baby amusement objects. These are the items I consider ESPECIALLY useless. I scoff at people who buy these right now (maybe I won't be so quick to judge if I have a collicky baby who needs help being amused and I'll try anything). But somehow we ended up with a baby gym, a baby bouncer, and a baby swing--all borrowed or hand-me-downs from friends and family. I was resistant to the idea of even taking them at first, but now I'm more on board, since they were free and we have a storage closet. Aaron convinced me that it can't hurt to have them just in case, so okay, we'll keep them just in case.

Another baby thing I find totally useless or annoying: high chairs. Just get a chair that clips onto the table! Every high chair I've ever seen has taken up tons of space and been hideously ugly.

I'm proud of us for avoiding getting sucked into the baby-thing buying trap. Screw Babies-R-Us and their long list of "baby essentials." I'm using cloth diapers, homemade wipes, handmade sheets, hand-me-downs, and the absolute minimum in baby furniture (co-sleeper). I'm saving my money for things I'll really need like a breast pump and a jogging stroller (for after she outgrows the borrowed car seat and compatible stroller). I wouldn't even buy a stroller and would just use baby carriers, except I think there really will be times when it is handy.

So, say what you will about my smugness, but I'm here to say that even though it's fun, you don't NEED that much baby stuff. I'll let you know if I change my mind later. It will be interesting to see if I'm way off or doing just fine. But for now, in my experience, it's better to start off with a little and get what you know you will need than to get a lot and have it go to waste (and take up precious space).

Week 32: Back to Reality

Well, this week was a little less eventful than other weeks. Mostly, I just worked very hard on a big project that was due for work. But there are a few new developments on the baby front.

For one, we finished our birthing class this week, and yet, I find myself barely ready for giving birth. I feel informed and well-equipped, but I just cannot imagine this baby coming out. I feel no Braxton-Hicks contractions or major discomfort that makes me think, "Get this baby out!" I guess when the time comes I will just know, but right now, I feel as though I'm in denial. I'll just be pregnant forever. Yes, I think that will work for me! Haha!

I finally decided that I will start maternity leave on February 15 (my birthday!). Which is not a moment too soon. Work has become pretty stressful for me. My boss is not a very good communicator and I find myself very intimidated when I'm talking to her. In general, I think she is a good boss, but often her comments leave me wondering, "Does she think I'm an idiot?" I think our personalities must clash or something and I'm more sensitive to it being pregnant, I think. I really like what I do though, so I'm happy to do it for awhile. It's just that I'm ready to start focusing on baby stuff! I want to finish buying baby items, get them all organized and washed and be ready for baby!

My mom is making plans to come out and visit a few days after my due date. That was the date the midwife recommended, since it is likely that I will give birth past my due date. I think I will too. I have always maintained I will have the baby on March 11 (I'm due March 4), so we shall see!

Baby is really kicking strong this week. Aaron, my husband, said he's never heard me react as much as I did this week to the kicks. Often when she kicks, it's so strong it startles me. This weekend she kicked me on my left side (normally she kicks to the right) while I was laying on that side and I thought briefly I'd somehow laid on something sharp. Turns out it was her foot I laid on! I jumped up very high, much to his amusement. All week long I've been feeling rolling sensations and strong concentrated pressure in the form of a foot all over my belly. It's kind of fun, but it's starting to be a little uncomfortable. I'm trying to enjoy it, though. I really do love feeling her and I love that it means she's healthy in there!

I've also been reading more baby books. There's a lot to learn, but I am really starting to understand more about what my role will be as a mother and I feel better equipped by it. Aaron is reading some of the books too. Right now I'm reading Secrets of the Baby Whisperer which is REALLY good so far. I highly recommend it.

One more exciting thing! Aaron's department at work decided to throw us a baby shower. I figured my coworkers would probably not do something like that (I'll be lucky to get a card), but I never even thought about his. So, we will have it on February 9--my last week before leave. And a few weekends before that we will be having my regular shower. I can't wait to see what I get, because I'm ready to buy up the big stuff people don't get, but I don't want to do it until I know exactly what I have and don't have (and what I can return and be able to get store credit for). So, it's very exciting. I'm so excited!
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Week 31: The Baby is Taking Over my Thoughts!

I realized last night that pretty much every waking thought in my brain, when I'm not distracted with work or something else, is about the baby. All I want to do is talk about the baby, think about the baby, read about the baby, plan for the baby, feel the baby move, talk to the baby, and so on! When did I become baby crazy?!

We got back from the holidays on January 1, with no complications, which was great. I was still feeling a little cloudy because of my cold and I was concerned it would put a damper in my plans to rearrange the house for the baby. Turns out, it did, but only slightly. Since we had 2.5 days to move everything around, I was able to feel good enough for some part of each day that I could at least do some work. My husband helped out a great deal, doing some of the bigger tasks when I didn't feel up to it. And, we finally got everything in order! Our desk is now neatly organized in our living room and the 2nd bedroom is now a multipurpose guest room and baby area! We got rid of a large amount of extra furniture we didn't need and repurposed a few items to act as baby storage. We now have room for the baby and her stuff. Hooray!

Coming back to work wasn't as hard as I expected, because right off the bat, I was given a huge assignment that I have been focused on. But in my spare time, I'm starting to plan my maternity leave and it's coming up quick! At my latest appointment with my midwife I talked about the paperwork I needed to fill out for that and the pre-admission to the hospital, and I'm starting to be in total denial that I'm getting this close! In just a few weeks I will be considered "full term" which means I could give birth at any time and the baby wouldn't be premature. YIKES! I'm not sure I'm ready for that just yet, even though I feel fairly prepared in my head, I'm a little shell shocked to be so close. Hopefully the next few weeks will allow me to get used to it.

The baby is head down right now, which is great! And, everything else is measuring right. So far, I've gained about 31 pounds, so I'm right on schedule. I would bet I'll gain 40 pounds by the end, but we shall see.

Posted some back posts from Storknet

So, as you may or may not know, I also post a weekly journal on Storknet.com. I haven't been very good about posting here when I post there, so I went back and back-posted all the weeks I haven't updated on this blog, so you will see some new content and some content re-arranged in more sequential order now. Now you can see everything I post from this blog, so that will keep things more consistent!

Enjoy!

The Baby is Getting BIG!

So the biggest development over the last week or two is that the baby is getting VERY big! I can tell this in 2 ways:

1) I can feel practically every movement she makes and the stronger ones are really distracting and often catch me by surprise. Aaron frequently hears me go, "Oh!" or "Ack!" in the middle of a quiet evening on the couch. It feels exactly like you would think it would feel if a little baby was kicking you, except you feel it inside, not outside.

2) My boobs finally look small in proportion to my belly and I know they aren't getting smaller because I'm outgrowing my larger bras. Ack! At least I don't just look like a playboy bunny with an extra-large stomach anymore!

Only 2 more months. I can't believe it's coming up so fast. We got the baby's room ready this weekend--moving around and getting rid of a ton of furniture. The house looks nice and uncluttered and ready for a 3rd, small person finally!

31 Weeks Pregnant