Bad News for a Natural Delivery

My doctor wanted me to go in for another ultrasound because I am measuring small for the week of pregnancy I am in. I have measured around 35 for more then three weeks when I am currently at 39 weeks. So yesterday I headed to the ultrasound to see if anything was wrong with little baby Beaty. The GOOD news is baby is healthy. Measured around 37 weeks. Small for it's week but otherwise seems health and getting enough nutrition.

BREECH
The first thing the tech said after starting was the word breech. It took me a few seconds to register what this meant. Baby Beaty is BREECH. Bum down, head and legs up. Not at all ready for a successful delivery. It means everything Geoff and I have worked for in a natural delivery is out the door. Exactly what I hoped to avoid is coming true, a scheduled c-section.

THE REASON
3-4% of babies are breech at delivery. Each one has a reason why the baby won't go head down as it naturally should. After reading about it I seem to fit an idea candidate. Tight ab, hip flexors & round ligaments, low amniotic fluid, and it runs in the family genes. All of which I have. If your low on amniotic fluid baby doesn't have enough room to move around. Then with tight muscles in the pelvic region baby wouldn't have enough room to put it's head low.

NEXT STEPS
I have my doctor's appt tomorrow to go over the ultrasound results. There I believe he'll want me to schedule a c-section. Hopefully he will work with me, but I'm not optimistic. Even thought there is little hope of baby switching around I am trying everything naturally possible. I went and saw my chiropractor, got acupuncture, and have been doing some inversions to try and get baby to move. Nothing like hanging out upside down (40 degree angle) for 20 minutes. So pray for us. We'll see what becomes of all this...

Week 38 Thoughts

Baby Beaty I am ready anytime you are. Just tell me when and we'll head to the hospital...

Week 38

Week 36

Pregnancy stats:

* Due Date: Around July 25th, 2008
* Picture Time line: 36 weeks 4 days
* Belly size: BIG!
* Energy level: High in the morning, but I fade fast in the evening.
* Nauseousness: High. Baby grows, I feel sick.
* Exercise Level: Medium. Small amounts most days. Walking can be on the uncomfortable side. Rather swim or bike.

Baby Shower

Thanks Sybil and Cyndie for the wonderful baby shower. I sadly never got my camera out of my bag to take any pictures.

It was just perfect. Everyone was so great to come celebrate the future baby Beaty! The baby shower balloon is a stitch! Love it. I've already unpacked all the loot and can't wait for babies arrival.

The Decision is Made

I finally decided after months of what was an obsession... finding the perfect stroller for us and a workable yet fashionable diaper bag to go along. I can't tell you how many times I changed my mind. Hopefully we'll be happy with the choices in the months to come.

STROLLER
Name: Bob Revolution Stroller
Colors: Chocolate/Mesa Orange
Why: It is first and foremost a running stroller, which is a must for us. But it also can be used for daily outings because the front wheel can swivel. And we plan on purchasing the attachment so we can use it with a baby car seat.



DIAPER BAG
Name: OiOi Girafee Print Hobo Sack
Colors: Cocoa/ Burnt Orange
Why: Because it's fun, practical and girlie. Plus it's large enough to carry everything I could ever dream of while also scrunch down small when needed.

Week 34 & 35

Hanging out at Kiawah Island with the pool in front
of me and the ocean beach behind.

Pregnancy stats:

• Due Date: Around July 25th, 2008
• Current Time line: 34 weeks 6 days
• Belly size: BIG!
  
• Energy level: High in the morning, but I fade fast in the evening.
  
• Nap: A 15 minute nap makes all the difference on high activity days.
  
• Nauseousness: Medium. Not as bad as middle trimester, but definitely still around.
• Back Soreness: Low. Luckily not much back pain.
• Exercise Level: Medium. Still at it swimming, hiking, and biking just all slow. Walking is getting more uncomfortable. I am still trying to fend off the pregnancy waddle.

Week 33

This picture is a bit shocking, even to me. Boy has baby Beaty grown. This picture was taken while I was in Minnesota on my trip home last week.

I actually got a scolding from my doctor for traveling so late in my pregnancy, which I found surprising given I still have a a month and a 1/2 left. Guess I won't be mentioning my trip down to Kiawah Island this coming week...

More MN pictures to come.

Bradley Childbirth Class

My Bradley Childbirth class has finished. What a great course. I truly feel educated and ready for anything labor throws at me. Hopefully everything will go well and I will be able to have a natural birth. The body is so absolutely amazing in all that it goes through and can handle. I have been fascinated to watch as my body changes and learn about everything that is going on beneath the cover.

Everyone in our class. Lined up by due date. Earliest due (end of June)
on the right, latest due date (beginning of August) on the left.

The girls & Rebbecca, our teacher, all of us pregnant!

Thanks everyone, especially Rebbecca for a great class. Good luck with all your births!

Week 30

Somehow I seem to take these pictures just after I get up. My hair is everywhere and I have no make-up on. Me in the natural state.

I signed up for a 2 mile open water swim that happens to be this coming Sunday. Given my lack of swimming in the past few months I thought I'd go test out my swimming skills. So yesterday I headed to the pool and swam 2 miles (3200yrds). It took me around 70 min with lots of breaks for stretching out the ab muscles. I found that swimming was really painful at first around my abs because they are so tight and being stretched so much. After the first 1000yrds or so I got into a groove and stretched out nicely.

So I think I'm ready for Sunday's open water swim! I did the 2 miles last time in just under an hour. So 70min seems like a realistic time this year. Now the question is will I still fit into my wetsuit?? I had it on three weeks ago but baby has really grown...

Week 27

Getting bigger! Baby is growing like a weed and moving around all the time now. I'm finding some of my first pregnancy clothes aren't quite long enough now. We had one of our first really hot days on Saturday. Boy am I affected by the heat. I'm going to be spending much of June and July at the pool :)

In about a month I'm flying out to Minnesota to visit family and friends. Ya! Before that... actually in a week in a half (wow that is soon) I am flying down to Florida with my participants to coach the Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman. I'm so excited for everyone, they are all going to do great!

Week 26/27 Photo

End of First Trimester

So here I sit in Geoff's jacket, with a spoon and a carton of vanilla ice cream and post to anyone who cares to read, I have just completed the First Trimester of my pregnancy! I am 3 months along. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. Now only if this nauseousness will go away...

Here is what I eat pretty much everyday this week. (Everything else is gross and wants to make me hurl):

• Amy's little pizza pita pockets
• Whole containers of strawberries in one sitting
• Strawberry gatorade
• Nectarines
• Grape nut flakes cereal with tons of milk.
  
• Breyer's Natural Vanilla ice cream
• And then eat whatever Geoff trys to cook me at night. He made a wonderful BBQ chicken and grilled veggies last night that I successfully ate.
  

Week 12 Photo

First doc Appt

Geoff and I had our first doctors appointment for the baby! Since it was our first appointment we spend most of the time talking about baby stuff and family history. I was reminded of what I should and shouldn't be eating and doing. The big excitement for the day is we heard the babies heart beat for the first time! I was amazed by the sound. It was more of a swooshing sound then a heart beat. But the doc reassured us that was it! It's all real! Our baby has a heart beat and is growing bigger everyday!

I also got a recommendation for the nauseousness. Boy was I excited! So right after we headed to the food store with a list of medications (I have a nasty cold too) and nauseous recommendations. The two suggestions she game for nauseousness was Vitamin B6 and Sonigramm. That evening at dinner I took the B6 and then before bed the other. What a long night. I should know to never take sleeping medication as that's what it was. I was up most of the night with muscle spasms and extreme drowsiness. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep before I had to get up and coach TNT that morning with Geoff.

Week 9 & 10

Our first baby appointment is on Friday! According to my calculations I will be at 11 1/2 weeks. We'll see what the doctor says. Hopefully we'll get to hear the heartbeat and get our first ultrasound.

My days are going by slow. I'm still feeling really sick and like a bum. I am just trying to take one day at a time. The picture for week 9 ended up being a really bad video so we'll skip it. Although the week 10 picture is pretty bad looking too. I wasn't feeling good at all when this was taken so forgive the horrible look!

You definitely cannot deny the belly has grown in this picture if you compare it with the first one.

2 Months Along

This week I officially reached 2 months pregnant. Right now I can't wait for it to be done and I have barely started. :( Or I should say, I can't wait for the nauseousness to be done. Here's my week 7 picture. I don't look much different in the picture from last week. Except you'll notice I am trying out the sea bands on my wrists. It's suppose to help with the morning sickness (more like all day and all night sickness!)

Nauseousness All Day Long

Oh to not be nauseous! Starting week 6 I suddenly found myself nauseous from when my eyes opened in the morning to when my head hits the pillow at night. I knew it was going to be bad from when I was on birth control, but this is something else. In trying to accomplish things I spend a lot of time telling myself 'it is mind over matter. No you don't need to go lay down on the couch, it won't make you feel any better'. So why not be up doing something to take my mind off of it.

Here is my week 6 picture from this past Saturday. I can certainly notice a change in my stomach size, but I'm guessing no one else really can. I went swimming this morning and my little tiny belly stuck out in my tight suit.

As for cravings & gross foods, here's my current thoughts:
Cravings = nothing
Grossness = ALL food