This has been a pretty good week overall. I've had some diabetes-related frustrations, but I won't go into them. The good news is that my appointment with my endocrinologist this week went VERY well - we have some new strategies and the results of my bloodtests were VERY good! Yay! My bloodpressure was a little elevated, though, so we're going to keep an eye on that. Hopefully it was an anomoly.
My energy is starting to wane a little and I'm definitely starting to feel bigger and more awkward. My right hip has been bothering me still, but it's managable. I'm still craving fruit like CRAZY - mmmmm....pineapple! mmmmm....apples! - and the newest craving is now bread & butter pickles (which have a lot more sugar in them than I thought!)
Bud is kicking LOTS - unfortunately many of her kicks are directed at my bladder - my poor tiny bladder! Yesterday I'm SURE she had the hiccups. It's the first time I had noticed a feeling like that, but it was sure funny! Apparently that's very common at this stage.
This week Grandma Rose has been staying with us while Great Grandpa Berg is in the hospital (he'll be okay - he's recovering from some pnuemonia and some heart problems). This has been a special treat (in spite of her reason for being here) as we really enjoy having her around and she is SOOOO excited for Bud to come! This weekend she and I went shopping for some sleepers for Bud's first few days/weeks/months. Then last night Grandma and Grandpa Dyck came over for supper and Bud's two Grandmas had fun sifting through all the baby clothes and pushing the stroller around the basement! It is VERY clear to us that this baby is going to be VERY well loved by all grandparents (as well as the rest of the family)!
Here are this week's Bud-facts!
- Bud may be much more active when I am having a bath or shower. (She is!!) She's responding to the light and noise by moving around inside me.
- Bud can open her eyes and turn her head in utero if she notices a continuous, bright light shining from the outside.
- Bud weighs nearly 2.3lbs/1+kg and may measure 14.8"/38cm from top to toe
- Bud's fat layers are forming and her fingernails appear.
More next week!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
27 Weeks & 1 Day
Well, I guess I'm now in my third trimester (depending on who you ask...some say 26 weeks, some say 28).
I don't have much to update since my last post a few days ago, so I'll just give the Bud Facts for 27 weeks.
- Bud is growing steadily as she prepares for delivery day. She will gain more weight rapidly over the next weeks.
- Bud is acting more like a newborn now. She opens and closes her eyes, sleeps and wakes at regular intervals, and may suck a finger or thumb.
- Bud may be hiccuping a lot. (Not that I've noticed...)
- Bud weighs nearly 2 pounds / 875 grams and measures 14.5" / 36.6cm from head to toe.
- Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by the 28th week. No one knows for certain what they dream about but the brain is active this week as well. The characteristic grooves on Bud's brain's surface start to appear and more brain tissue develops.
This coming week I have an appointment with my doula as well as with my endocrinologist, so I may have a more interesting update next week :)
I don't have much to update since my last post a few days ago, so I'll just give the Bud Facts for 27 weeks.
- Bud is growing steadily as she prepares for delivery day. She will gain more weight rapidly over the next weeks.
- Bud is acting more like a newborn now. She opens and closes her eyes, sleeps and wakes at regular intervals, and may suck a finger or thumb.
- Bud may be hiccuping a lot. (Not that I've noticed...)
- Bud weighs nearly 2 pounds / 875 grams and measures 14.5" / 36.6cm from head to toe.
- Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by the 28th week. No one knows for certain what they dream about but the brain is active this week as well. The characteristic grooves on Bud's brain's surface start to appear and more brain tissue develops.
This coming week I have an appointment with my doula as well as with my endocrinologist, so I may have a more interesting update next week :)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
26 Weeks & 4 Days
Sorry this post is a bit late, but I thought I'd wait for yesterday's Fetal Assessment before making my 26-week post.
First off, I'm still doing well. I'm starting to get a bit more tired, but I've been waking up more at night lately, so that could be why - perhaps because Bud's kicks are getting stronger now. My ankles started swelling a bit too, but I'm finding ways to reduce that.
So enough about me...and more about Bud! Yesterday was our 2nd Fetal Assessment. It went VERY well. The nurse said everything looked great - heart-rate, size, placenta,etc - and she said that I must be taking very good care of my diabetes, judging by the health of the baby (which was very nice to hear). She estimated her weight at about 2 lbs which is apparently exactly where she should be. According to her growth chart, Bud is tracking perfectly just below the 50th percentile. She was very responsive to being "prodded" by the nurse and kicked the ultrasound machine a number of times. It was really neat to be able to actually watch her move around instead of just feel her! The nurse said she had a "very sweet face", but I'm not sure how she could tell in all that wavy black and white :) We were able to bring home a bunch more photos, so I'll post a few at the end of the blog. All this just makes us SO excited to be able to meet Bud in a few months!
So before I post the pictures, here are the Bud-facts for Week 26:
- Bud is becoming more sensitive to sound as the network of nerves in her ears develops. If Martin talks to her now she might learn to recognize his voice. The more she hears it, the more likely she is to find it soothing after she's born.
- From top to toe with legs extended, Bud is about 14" / 35.6cm. She weighs a little more than 1.6lbs / 760g. (Actually, according to the nurse, she weighs 2 lbs.)
- Bud's eyes begin to open around this time.
- Bud continues to take small breaths and, although she's only breathing in water and not air, it's good practice for when she's born.
And finally, here is my 26 1/2 week picture, and some new pictures of Bud!
First off, I'm still doing well. I'm starting to get a bit more tired, but I've been waking up more at night lately, so that could be why - perhaps because Bud's kicks are getting stronger now. My ankles started swelling a bit too, but I'm finding ways to reduce that.
So enough about me...and more about Bud! Yesterday was our 2nd Fetal Assessment. It went VERY well. The nurse said everything looked great - heart-rate, size, placenta,etc - and she said that I must be taking very good care of my diabetes, judging by the health of the baby (which was very nice to hear). She estimated her weight at about 2 lbs which is apparently exactly where she should be. According to her growth chart, Bud is tracking perfectly just below the 50th percentile. She was very responsive to being "prodded" by the nurse and kicked the ultrasound machine a number of times. It was really neat to be able to actually watch her move around instead of just feel her! The nurse said she had a "very sweet face", but I'm not sure how she could tell in all that wavy black and white :) We were able to bring home a bunch more photos, so I'll post a few at the end of the blog. All this just makes us SO excited to be able to meet Bud in a few months!
So before I post the pictures, here are the Bud-facts for Week 26:
- Bud is becoming more sensitive to sound as the network of nerves in her ears develops. If Martin talks to her now she might learn to recognize his voice. The more she hears it, the more likely she is to find it soothing after she's born.
- From top to toe with legs extended, Bud is about 14" / 35.6cm. She weighs a little more than 1.6lbs / 760g. (Actually, according to the nurse, she weighs 2 lbs.)
- Bud's eyes begin to open around this time.
- Bud continues to take small breaths and, although she's only breathing in water and not air, it's good practice for when she's born.
And finally, here is my 26 1/2 week picture, and some new pictures of Bud!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
25 Weeks & 1 Day - Take 2
Yep, you read the title correctly....we have a new due date! It's now June 19th. This puts the 38-week mark (i.e. induction time) around June 5th...which just happens to be Martin's birthday! Perhaps I will only have to make ONE birthday cake every year for the two of them. :) (Who am I kidding, I've never made Martin a birthday cake!)
Long story short, between the first ultrasound, the first fetal assessment, and clearing up an earlier miscommunication about cycle-length, my OB did a recalculation at my appointment on Tuesday, and we came up with our new date. Under this new date, Bud is tracking perfectly size-wise. :)
Also during the appointment, the nurse was using the doppler machine to listen to Bud's heartbeat, and Bud kicked the doppler machine! She's feisty! The good news is that her heart rate accelerated exactly as it was supposed to when she exerted this little effort, so it was a very healthy response.
Speaking of kicks, this week I SAW a kick for the first time! She is very very active still, and has started a slightly annoying habit of kicking my bladder. I get to feel her movements lots, but every time Martin tries to feel her, she stops moving. I think her Daddy has a calming effect on her, but I think it's starting to make Martin question whether I'm making all this up about her being so active! ;) The other day I could actually pinpoint where her head was, and when I gave it a little push, she responded by kicking me! I'm really looking forward to being able to "interact" with her more now if that happens more often!
I've still been having a lot of energy lately which is very good. I'm hoping that lasts for a while, but with the 3rd trimester looming, I'm not so sure it's going to. I've still been trying to keep at least mildly active with walks over my lunch break, a few walks after work, and some yoga on the weekend. It actually really seems to help with my energy levels and with the comfort of my joints.
We've still been buying some miscellaneous stuff for Bud here and there, but nothing big this week...some books, some toys, a bouncy seat...stuff like that.
I don't have a picture this week, so I'll try to put one up next week.
And now that we're back on track with dates, here are the Bud-facts for week 25:
- Bud is responsive to touch now.
- Bud's eyelids will open around now and her heart is beating so strongly it may be heard with just a stethoscope.
- Bud weighs about 1.5lbs / 660g (although at the Fetal assessment 2 weeks ago they said she weighed about 1.5lbs already, so this may be a bit off), and is approximately 13.5" / 35cm long from crown to heel.
- Bud makes breathing movements but has no air in her lunchs yet.
All for now! More next week!
Long story short, between the first ultrasound, the first fetal assessment, and clearing up an earlier miscommunication about cycle-length, my OB did a recalculation at my appointment on Tuesday, and we came up with our new date. Under this new date, Bud is tracking perfectly size-wise. :)
Also during the appointment, the nurse was using the doppler machine to listen to Bud's heartbeat, and Bud kicked the doppler machine! She's feisty! The good news is that her heart rate accelerated exactly as it was supposed to when she exerted this little effort, so it was a very healthy response.
Speaking of kicks, this week I SAW a kick for the first time! She is very very active still, and has started a slightly annoying habit of kicking my bladder. I get to feel her movements lots, but every time Martin tries to feel her, she stops moving. I think her Daddy has a calming effect on her, but I think it's starting to make Martin question whether I'm making all this up about her being so active! ;) The other day I could actually pinpoint where her head was, and when I gave it a little push, she responded by kicking me! I'm really looking forward to being able to "interact" with her more now if that happens more often!
I've still been having a lot of energy lately which is very good. I'm hoping that lasts for a while, but with the 3rd trimester looming, I'm not so sure it's going to. I've still been trying to keep at least mildly active with walks over my lunch break, a few walks after work, and some yoga on the weekend. It actually really seems to help with my energy levels and with the comfort of my joints.
We've still been buying some miscellaneous stuff for Bud here and there, but nothing big this week...some books, some toys, a bouncy seat...stuff like that.
I don't have a picture this week, so I'll try to put one up next week.
And now that we're back on track with dates, here are the Bud-facts for week 25:
- Bud is responsive to touch now.
- Bud's eyelids will open around now and her heart is beating so strongly it may be heard with just a stethoscope.
- Bud weighs about 1.5lbs / 660g (although at the Fetal assessment 2 weeks ago they said she weighed about 1.5lbs already, so this may be a bit off), and is approximately 13.5" / 35cm long from crown to heel.
- Bud makes breathing movements but has no air in her lunchs yet.
All for now! More next week!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
26 (24?) Weeks & 1 Day
Last week was a long post, this week is a short one.
This was a pretty uneventful week. Last weekend Martin went to pick up our crib and change-table (actually it's a dresser with a change-pad on top). The dresser is now in the baby's room (i.e. our office), so that we won't have to move it again, but the crib isn't unpacked or assembled yet. We want to keep the office functional for as long as possible.
And really, that's about it! I've been tired this week, likely because I was fighting off a cold (successfully!), and I've been trying to go for short walks at lunch to keep my joints moving and to keep my bloodsugar in check.
I'm not posting Bud-facts this week, while we wait to find out whether my due date is changing (I'm seeing the OB on Tuesday), so you can go back to week 24 and read the Bud-facts from then.
More next week!
This was a pretty uneventful week. Last weekend Martin went to pick up our crib and change-table (actually it's a dresser with a change-pad on top). The dresser is now in the baby's room (i.e. our office), so that we won't have to move it again, but the crib isn't unpacked or assembled yet. We want to keep the office functional for as long as possible.
And really, that's about it! I've been tired this week, likely because I was fighting off a cold (successfully!), and I've been trying to go for short walks at lunch to keep my joints moving and to keep my bloodsugar in check.
I'm not posting Bud-facts this week, while we wait to find out whether my due date is changing (I'm seeing the OB on Tuesday), so you can go back to week 24 and read the Bud-facts from then.
More next week!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
25 (23?) Weeks & 1 Day
Well, big news today! If you haven't already heard....Bud is a GIRL!! We had our first Fetal Assessment on Tuesday and found out (with certainty) that we will be having a little baby girl in a few months! We are very excited! It was a surprise to me as I was quite convinced we were having a boy (as were many of our friends), but Martin was pretty sure Bud was a girl, so he may have gloated a bit when we found out. ;) We couldn't be happier - especially because it means we don't have to repaint the baby's room, which is pink from the previous owner.
During the fetal assessment the nurse took lots of measurements and looked at all sorts of things to do with Bud to make sure that she is healthy. We were so pleased to hear that everything looks normal and that there is what appears to be a very healthy baby growing inside of me!
As you may recall, during my 19 week ultrasound, Bud was measuring at closer to 17 weeks. Because there can be a bit of room for error in determining the gestational age of a fetus, and becuase we were quite comfortable with the estimated conception date, my OB decided to keep the due date as it had initially been estimated (June 5th or June 9th, depending on who you ask). But at the fetal assessment, Bud was measuring at 22 weeks instead of 24 weeks, so the nurse is making a strong recommendation to my OB to change the due date (I guess that would put us closer to June 23rd, with induction around June 9th).
Since Bud's growth is stable, and since it really does kind of make sense that we could have been off (e.g. perhaps I couldn't get a positive pregnancy test until week 8 because I was actually only at week 6; and maybe I did start to have nausea at week 7 (which is normal) instead of week 9 (which is a bit later than many women)), I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the idea of changing the due date at this point. I see my OB on March 3rd, so we'll figure it out then.
At this point, I'm kind of assuming that I'm actually 23 weeks and not 25 weeks, but I'm not going to make any solid changes until I talk to my OB. Because he'll be wanting to induce me around 38 weeks, I'd like to be as sure as possible that we're working with the right due date - otherwise we risk getting the baby out at 36 weeks...which is getting into preemie range. Thankfully I will be having many more fetal assessments before the induction, so the doctor will have a good chance to monitor the baby's development before making any induction decisions. Anyway, for the time being, my post titles will include two possible weeks, and I'm going to hold off on posting any Bud-facts because I think we're needing to "catch up" by two weeks now. You can go back and read the Bud-facts for week 23 if you want. :)
In addition to the fetal assessment, I also saw my endocrinologist (for my diabetes) this week. My test results were the best this time that they've ever been! Yay! Still a few things to tweak, but in general it's going very well.
Bud is still moving around a LOT and sometimes we can feel her kicks with just a light touch. It's nice to know that she's healthy enough to be so active! So far she's not keeping me up at night either. Hopefully it stays that way for a while.
I'm still having some discomfort in my knees and hips if I use them too much, but otherwise I'm feeling very good. I had lots of energy this week! I've tried some more of my prenatal yoga and enjoy it, and I've also tried to go for some indoor walks (my office building is attached to a mall) over my lunch break in order to get some exercise without having to navigate icy and uneven ground outside.
And now it's photo time! First, I have two pictures of Bud from the fetal assessment. The first one is her face. She's lying down with her chin on the right and her forehead on the left. (Eyeballs don't show up on ultrasound, so she just has eye-hollows in the picture.) The second one shows her head and her hand waving at us! (The nurse added the "hi mom, hi dad".) We were very pleased to be able to take photos home from fetal assessment free of charge, as the regular ultrasound pictures cost $50 (or maybe even more)!
I'm also attaching a photo of me taken today. So I guess it's either my 25-week or 23-week picture, but I'm thinking more likely 23 weeks.
+-+resized+%26+cropped.jpg)
During the fetal assessment the nurse took lots of measurements and looked at all sorts of things to do with Bud to make sure that she is healthy. We were so pleased to hear that everything looks normal and that there is what appears to be a very healthy baby growing inside of me!
As you may recall, during my 19 week ultrasound, Bud was measuring at closer to 17 weeks. Because there can be a bit of room for error in determining the gestational age of a fetus, and becuase we were quite comfortable with the estimated conception date, my OB decided to keep the due date as it had initially been estimated (June 5th or June 9th, depending on who you ask). But at the fetal assessment, Bud was measuring at 22 weeks instead of 24 weeks, so the nurse is making a strong recommendation to my OB to change the due date (I guess that would put us closer to June 23rd, with induction around June 9th).
Since Bud's growth is stable, and since it really does kind of make sense that we could have been off (e.g. perhaps I couldn't get a positive pregnancy test until week 8 because I was actually only at week 6; and maybe I did start to have nausea at week 7 (which is normal) instead of week 9 (which is a bit later than many women)), I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the idea of changing the due date at this point. I see my OB on March 3rd, so we'll figure it out then.
At this point, I'm kind of assuming that I'm actually 23 weeks and not 25 weeks, but I'm not going to make any solid changes until I talk to my OB. Because he'll be wanting to induce me around 38 weeks, I'd like to be as sure as possible that we're working with the right due date - otherwise we risk getting the baby out at 36 weeks...which is getting into preemie range. Thankfully I will be having many more fetal assessments before the induction, so the doctor will have a good chance to monitor the baby's development before making any induction decisions. Anyway, for the time being, my post titles will include two possible weeks, and I'm going to hold off on posting any Bud-facts because I think we're needing to "catch up" by two weeks now. You can go back and read the Bud-facts for week 23 if you want. :)
In addition to the fetal assessment, I also saw my endocrinologist (for my diabetes) this week. My test results were the best this time that they've ever been! Yay! Still a few things to tweak, but in general it's going very well.
Bud is still moving around a LOT and sometimes we can feel her kicks with just a light touch. It's nice to know that she's healthy enough to be so active! So far she's not keeping me up at night either. Hopefully it stays that way for a while.
I'm still having some discomfort in my knees and hips if I use them too much, but otherwise I'm feeling very good. I had lots of energy this week! I've tried some more of my prenatal yoga and enjoy it, and I've also tried to go for some indoor walks (my office building is attached to a mall) over my lunch break in order to get some exercise without having to navigate icy and uneven ground outside.
And now it's photo time! First, I have two pictures of Bud from the fetal assessment. The first one is her face. She's lying down with her chin on the right and her forehead on the left. (Eyeballs don't show up on ultrasound, so she just has eye-hollows in the picture.) The second one shows her head and her hand waving at us! (The nurse added the "hi mom, hi dad".) We were very pleased to be able to take photos home from fetal assessment free of charge, as the regular ultrasound pictures cost $50 (or maybe even more)!
I'm also attaching a photo of me taken today. So I guess it's either my 25-week or 23-week picture, but I'm thinking more likely 23 weeks.
+-+resized+%26+cropped.jpg)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
24 Weeks & 2 Days
Short post today. Nothing too significant happened this week and I am thoroughly exhausted right now. Next week's post will be more detailed. :)
Bud has still been very busy and Martin can often feel his/her movements. I'm getting bigger all the time, and a lot of my non-maternity shirts aren't really fitting anymore. (The non-maternity pants mostly stopped fitting a while ago already.) I know it's picture-posting week, but I think I'm going to wait until next week. I hope nobody's too terribly disappointed.
This weekend Martin's mom is in town to help us baby-shop. We went to the Baby and Kid Show at the Convention Centre yesterday. It was quite interesting, and we entered our names in about 1,000 draws (or at least that's what it felt like). Maybe we'll get lucky and win something! We also picked out a crib and dresser/change table that we like, but we haven't gone to actually purchase them yet. Besides that, we got a LOT of little stuff - bottles, blankets, towels, etc. plus a few clothes too. (Grandma Rose couldn't resist buying a few outfits for Bud.) Six hours of walking around yesterday really took a toll on my knees and hips and back, so today I'm feeling very pregnant and achy and tired. It's nice that we have the day off tomorrow too to recuperate.
Here's this week's Bud-facts:
- Bud weighs more than 1.3 pounds / 600 grams.
- Bud still has little body fat and his/her skin is thin and fragile, but he/she is now well-proportioned.
- Bud's brain is growing rapidly.
- Bud is slowly starting to fill the space inside me.
- From crown to heel, Bud measures about 11.8" / 30cm.
More in a few days....including (likely) Bud's gender! (First Fetal Assessment is on Tuesday.)
Bud has still been very busy and Martin can often feel his/her movements. I'm getting bigger all the time, and a lot of my non-maternity shirts aren't really fitting anymore. (The non-maternity pants mostly stopped fitting a while ago already.) I know it's picture-posting week, but I think I'm going to wait until next week. I hope nobody's too terribly disappointed.
This weekend Martin's mom is in town to help us baby-shop. We went to the Baby and Kid Show at the Convention Centre yesterday. It was quite interesting, and we entered our names in about 1,000 draws (or at least that's what it felt like). Maybe we'll get lucky and win something! We also picked out a crib and dresser/change table that we like, but we haven't gone to actually purchase them yet. Besides that, we got a LOT of little stuff - bottles, blankets, towels, etc. plus a few clothes too. (Grandma Rose couldn't resist buying a few outfits for Bud.) Six hours of walking around yesterday really took a toll on my knees and hips and back, so today I'm feeling very pregnant and achy and tired. It's nice that we have the day off tomorrow too to recuperate.
Here's this week's Bud-facts:
- Bud weighs more than 1.3 pounds / 600 grams.
- Bud still has little body fat and his/her skin is thin and fragile, but he/she is now well-proportioned.
- Bud's brain is growing rapidly.
- Bud is slowly starting to fill the space inside me.
- From crown to heel, Bud measures about 11.8" / 30cm.
More in a few days....including (likely) Bud's gender! (First Fetal Assessment is on Tuesday.)
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