Visiting the antenatal clinic

So I went to see the midwife today. Everything looked fine. At the moment Peanut is lying with his/her head down and bottom up. I thought so since I've gotten kicked upwards. She could even feel that Peanut often lay on the right side under my breast kicking! Hehe. Peanut got a little upset when she wanted to listen to the heart beat and started kicking and boxing for a while. S/he's a little shy at the moment I guess. I didn't have to check my blood sugar today, but will have to do it next time.

Peanut's heart beated with 144 beats/minute today, and my blood pressure was just fine. I haven't gained any weight since last time, which is kind of a relief. Everybody says you gain most weight in the last trimester. The belly keeps on growing and the womb is now 31 cm. Which is just normal.

Got a appointment but I have to change the time because I'm at a funeral that day. Hopefully I'll get an earlier time the same day.

Can't wait till my ultrasound next week!

Goodmorning!

What weather that greeted us this morning. Fog and slippery roads. A bit scared to cross the road when I don't see the other side. It's not easy to slip around like Bambi on ice when you are pregnant, let me tell you! You have to try to be even more careful than usual. I really need to switch to my winter boots soon if this weather keeps on.

I sent a message to my hubbie telling him to take it easy in the traffic this morning. Anything can happen. My co worker spun around on the parking lot when she tried to turn. ;)

Belly pic w 31

Yes, it has gotten bigger... and isn't it a bit lower?

w 31 - Best to start early...

I accidentally drank a beer on Sunday, you know a strong one! I took one of my darling's Heinikens instead of my alcohol free Carlsberg. He laughed when I said I felt a bit strange. Well, nearly eight months of no alcohol does that to a woman I guess. ;) I felt so ashamed! Seriously. Poor Peanut. Well, best start early I guess! ;) I don't think any harm's done, but I still feel like a very bad mother that cannot see the difference between a Carlsberg and a Heineken.

Peanut is now most of the time wedged in under my ribs and kicking upwards, making my boobs jump! ;) Feels very weird. And if s/he's not up there, s/he's down lurking around my blatter, making me feel the need to pee all the time. Most annoying actually, and not really comfortable. But hey, I'm not complaining. I like that s/he's moving!

A new pic of my belly will be posted later today when I've gotten my darling to take one! ;)

Your pregnancy: 31weeks
Peanut: 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.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Me: Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless. Frequent contractions, on the other hand — even those that don't hurt — may be a sign of preterm labor. Call your practitioner immediately if you have more than four contractions in an hour or any other signs of preterm labor: an increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge (if it becomes watery, mucus-like, or bloody — even if it's pink or just tinged with blood); abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping; an increase in pressure in the pelvic area; or low back pain, especially if you didn't have it before.

You may have noticed some leaking of colostrum, or "premilk," from your breasts lately. If so, try tucking some nursing pads into your bra to protect your clothes. (And if not, it's certainly nothing to worry about; your breasts are making colostrum all the same, even if you don't see any.) If your current bra is too snug, you might also want to pick up a nursing bra. Choose a nursing bra at least one cup size bigger than you need now. When your milk comes in you'll be grateful for that extra room!

If you're having a boy, you and your partner will want to take some time to think about whether or not to have your baby circumcised. Find out the pros and cons from your doctor, and what the procedure involves.

ps: and very very secret. My darling's finally made an honest woman out of me. We got married on Saturday! ;) wee I can now call myself a wife! Check our pic out here!

Fridays are always the best

Yes, after a week of hormones messing with my head. I slept very badly in the beginning of the week, but now I've gotten two whole nights without any heartburn or toilet visits or a darling that doesn't appreciate my snoring. Ah well, now it's Friday and weekend! ;) That is enough to make anyone happy.

Yesterday we went to Danderyds hospital for a lecture on how it is to give birth at their maternity clinic. The midwife talked about what kind of pain relief there was to chose from and so on. I would so like to try to give birth without any drugs, but my darling thinks I'm crazy. Just because he knows how low my pain threshold is. But I believe this is a different pain that you can endure as a mother to be, but he thinks I should take the drugs just because. Luckely enough I'm in charge! ;) My body is built for giving birth. I'm gonna make it. I'm sure of it.

30 full weeks - jikes!

Well, today it's 30w1d. I forgot to update yesterday... Lots on my mind as of late. I've been starting to think about how we're supposed to get by on just one full income when I'm on maternity leave. I get like half my income when I'm home. Then my co worker got the brilliant idea of me working over the summer when the other ones are on vacation. I get like two full months pay and my darling can be home with the baby. I thought it a very good idea, to save maternity days. And besides, I cost less if I work than my darling because he takes the car everyday and gas is so not cheap here in Sweden. Ah well, I guess we'll manage somehow. We always do. ;)

Tomorrow we're visiting the maternity ward at the hospital where I'm going to give birth for an open lecture about giving birth there. My midwife thought it good we go to see what kind of options we will have once it's time to give birth. It's going to be very interesting, I have no idea what to expect when it's time... And to be honest, I'm trying not to think about it too much. I'm sure it will work out just fine once I'm in there. ;-) I mean my body is built for carrying children then I'm sure it knows what to do when it comes to that! hehe...

Your pregnancy: 30 weeks

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

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Me: You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

This week the information is brought to you by babycenter.

w 29 - A little rascal in my belly

Peanut doesn't give me much time without kicking nowadays. It feels like s/he's constantly on the move. Kicking here and there, knocking the head against my ribs or just I don't know, break dancing? Or sneezing, because that's how it feels. It's not easy to concentrate on ones work when you have a little rascal in the belly that keeps on kicking you! ;-) I'm just caught with a silly smile on my face, rubbing my tummy. My darling thinks I'm weird. I don't blame him. He's a bit frustrated at the moment because every time I tell him to feel for kicks, Peanut goes very still. Not very nice. And thinks it's a bit scary I guess, kind of alieny or something. Feels weird to feel something move inside my belly. What a wanker! ;-) Ah well, I love love him anyways! ;-)

Week 29: To pee or not to pee...

Peanut:If you’ve been feeling butterflies moving around in your belly, it’s not just your run-of-the-mill pre-birth performance anxiety. No, it’s your amazing baby with a case of the hiccups: a fairly common occurrence at this point resulting from practising breathing for their big birthday. In addition, to getting a round of butterfly-like hiccups, your little swimmer has arduously managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of their overall body weight. Yeah, compared to we adults, it’s not a lot, but when they’re little like that—it’s certainly a healthy (and warming) accomplishment in its way. Another fantastic accomplishment: your baby's spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the 10 dollar name for the process involved in building up certain important blood components. Another fantastic-accomplishment: your little monkey has been peeing into their amniotic sac for a little while now (this is why potty training takes a while) and if you didn’t know, actually swallows it along with the rest of the amniotic fluid. Although the concept is nasty, their urine is sterile and as part of the amniotic fluid base, is replaced several times throughout the day. So if you didn’t know before, now you can tell people, that yes, you drank your own urine—you were still in the womb, but nonetheless, you’ve been there.

Me: Here’s another new-parenting-issue that you probably don’t have the time or energy to handle: the decision whether or not to breastfeed. If you thought this was one of the obvious ones (stick out breast, attach child, feeding commences!), think again. Right off the bat, there are women that simply cannot breastfeed for medical reasons—and have no choice in the matter but to opt for formula-feeding. Then there are the women who attempt to breast-feed and run out of milk, or the baby won’t latch on (they even have breast-feeding classes because despite the apparent animal-easiness of the behavior, some babies just don’t take to breastfeeding).

Now, if you are planning or deciding whether or not to breastfeed, here are some of the big reasons why it’s a great thing for you and your little “sucker”: breastfeeding actually releases a hormone that will help you relax (and if you don’t nurse milk production will actually cease: i.e. use it or lose it!). If you choose to breastfeed, your body will produce oxytocin—(no, not Oxycotin, Rush Limbaugh already took care of that), which actually increases uterine contractions to decrease post-birth vaginal bleeding.

And the vain reason to breastfeed: all that charming excess body fat you’ve gained is used for milk production, thus making it MUCH easier for you to return to you pre-pregnancy weight. Also, nursing mothers’ bones re-mineralize faster than those who don’t and are less likely to contract ovarian or uterine cancer before and after menopause. Not to mention the fact that breastfeeding means you’re directly bolstering your baby’s immune system. For even more reasons why your child will benefit from breastfeeding, visit womenshealth.gov.

Old Betty

This morning we went to fetch the car that my father in law had found for me. An old Ford Escort. In really good shape, only one devoted owner. :) I like it. I therefore named her Betty. Or in Swedish: Bettan. It's so nice to have a car of my own, finally! Freedom! ;)

We also went to pick up a box from Pampers that you get for free. Which included some diaper samples, a toy and some other stuff. Free stuff is always welcome! But it didn't contain as much as they had said on the website, so I'm thinking of writing out another recite for my darling to go to another store to pick up. ;) Very naughty of course... ;)

'Lost in Austen'

So, I found a new tv-series worth watching if you are an Austen-fan. It's called Lost in Austen and is about Amanda who is totally in to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. One day she discovers the heroine Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom, getting through a door in time and space. They accidentally change places and Amanda is caught in the book. Her presence of course induce some different twist and turns to the well known story. I really liked it. Darcy was as hot as ever and the pond scene alone makes the series worth watching. ;-) Most amusing.

It was a bit embarrassing from time to time, but all and all it very worth watching. I would so want to be in Amanda's shoes. ;-) Elliot Cowan makes a very good Darcy, perhaps even better than Colin Firth. Cowan wins the wet shirt contest any day. Yep I will totally by the dvd asap. Until then you can watch the series at youtube. Unfortunately you have to do some detective work to find the next part, but it is worth it. I promise.

pics taken from itv.com

Visit to the antenatal-clinic

So my darling surprised me with following me to the clinic yesterday. He could get off work a bit earlier than usual and thought it would be nice to see what I'm doing ever so often. I'm getting another ultrasound since I'm a bit overweight and they wanted to see that everything is fine and that the baby is growing properly. Well my uterus (Symfus-fundus) measures 28 cm which is just over average and I've only gained 6 kg so far. Not much at all. Just perfect for a girl my size! ;-) Peanut's heart ticked away with 152 beats/minute, which is just normal. S/he is really up in my ribs all the time now.

I have to remember not to look too closely at the ultrasound since I don't want to know what gender the baby is... How am I gonna manage that? ;) I'm really longing to see my little one again! :)

w 28 - Peanut has found my ribs

Yeah so all of a sudden I get to kicks right in the middle of my ribs. Hard enough to make my boobs jump. ;) Weird but kind of cool at the same time. S/he's really been busy today. Really been all around the belly. ;)

Tomorrow I'm off to the antenatal clinic again.I'm longing to hear my little one's heart beats and too see that it's growing as it should. I will write more about that tomorrow. :)

I'm really soon in desperate need of a new jacket. it's getting really cold and nothing I have at home fits. I'm thinking of buying a cheap one just to have until Peanut arrives and then a more expensive one after giving birth. I think that's the wisest way to go.

Week 28: Why, you look positively bovine!
Peanut: You know how you’ve been feeling a bit like a barn with legs? Well, that feeling won’t subside before… well, you know, when you finally give birth. For the time being, you’ve got yourself a baby in the business of collecting fat and lots of it! In spite of the dubious joys of being a human-barn, this baby fat business is very serious and you’ve got to put up with it because it’s going to keep your little porker warm and healthy after birth. Other good stuff from inside: their eyes are doing lots of blinking this week because they’re now able to respond to light and dark. Also, their industrious little bone marrow is now a major construction site for developing red blood cells, while their super-cute adrenal glands are actually producing androgen and estrogen—which will stimulate your hormones to begin milk production. Can you say, “Moo?”

Me: If you’re not already fully entrenched, it’s just about time to head into the Name Game field. If you haven’t yet landed on “the perfect name”, there are only about a trillion books (check them out at Amazon.com) and websites with head-spinning lists of name possibilities. You can always opt to invent a name as well (like say, “Thygor”). Obviously, naming isn’t always the most straightforward or easy process and not every couple has a name for their child even after birth. Really, just take your time and try to consider any possible mean nicknames they might be inflicted with once they hit adolescence (i.e. What happens when you name your kid “Willy"?).

As if we have to tell you: their little “cute” kicks are getting stronger these days, but just pay attention. If you notice a significant drop in the number of kicks experienced per hour it would be a good idea to tell your physician or mid-wife. But before you start getting anxious, keep in mind that during the final weeks of pregnancy your in-house-football player will be kicking significantly less as they will lack the space to move about as vigorously.

the days just flies away...

I haven't updated in a week! :-o Well, perhaps that's because nothing new has happened really. We were at a market on Thursday, didn't buy anything really, just some snacks for us and doggie. Didn't find anything fun for Peanut either.

On Saturday I was at Fia's for a girl's evening with food and singstar. Very nice and fun company. Didn't get home until half two I think... ;-) Suitable for a mum to be? Perhaps not...

Today I've become a caro wner for the first time in my life. A little Ford Escort is coming home with us this weekend. It's from '82 but has only had one owner, my father in law's boss' mother. ;-) Got it cheap and it's supposed to be good both on the inside and outside. Very grown up is it not?

27 full weeks and last trimester!

So it's now less than three months left to due date. Oh, dear! It feels totally surreal that I'm gonna be a mommy in less than three months. A little baby is going to invade our life and make it totally different. I cannot imagine how it's gonna turn out, I have absolutely no clue. But I'm pretty sure we're gonna make it. ;) In one way or the other! ;)


The belly keeps on growing. At the moment I think it's just the right size, but it's inevitable that it's gonna get bigger and bigger... But that's ok. :) I like my belly and keeps caressing it all the time much to my friends' annoyance. ;)



Week 27: I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it!
Peanut: Your not-so-tiny-anymore brilliant baby(about 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long!) is slowly rotating in preparation to “head out.” Obviously, this doesn’t happen overnight, but when you start to feel an unfamiliar pressure on your cervix, you’ll know you’ve got a fully flipped baby locked and loaded for the countdown to their birthday! Even now, at the beginning of the third trimester, their little lungs are already capable of breathing air while the pulmonary vascular system can provide sufficient gas exchange and the central nervous system can generally regulate rhythmic breathing as well as their basal body temperature. For what it’s worth, at this point in a healthy pregnancy a premature child (with intensive care) could easily win on the show: “Survivor: The Early Years.”

Me: You’ve worked hard, done your research, endured a plethora of joyless symptoms and would like nothing more than to have wonder-baby on the outside. Well, dig in for the final endurance round and say hello again to the familiar but not-so-lovable faces of fatigue and nausea. You guessed it, the dratted hormone factory is once again running at full-tilt (and causing rapid hair growth), sigh…. Your (“yaaaawn”) fatigue stems from several factors, including the proverbial weight gain, shortness of breath and of course, sleep deprivation. (See week 29 for tips on how to alleviate fatigue!).

Yes, ladies, you’ve finally reached the infamous “live-on-the-toilet” stage. Your feet are bigger, your breasts are bigger, your belly is bigger, even your baby is bigger—and something’s gotta give. Annoyingly, nature didn’t choose your butt and instead opted to compress your bladder, which is now being completely squashed by your-super-sized-baby... all day long. So your best shot is to just accept the fact you’re going to need to urinate every 10 minutes (and if you manage to go longer, thank the good lord).

Of course breast tenderness is also very common at this phase as milk production is kicking in. Other thrilling third-trimester symptoms include more swelling (known as edema) and feeling like you live in a sweat factory as a result of increased basal body temperature. Thank your baby: this temperature increase stems from their body heat coupling with your own, which of course all adds up to one hot mama!

Just in case you don’t have enough things to stress out about: we’d like to remind you the third trimester is really a time to kick your baby-on-the-outside preparations into high gear: baby-proof the home or apartment, buy a car-seat, get a stroller, dress up the nursery and plan a space for diapering, keep mulling over possible names, and try to enjoy this time… when you’re not nauseous, constipated, running to the toilet, or just plain wiped out. (And don’t forget to get your sleep, be active, and eat well! Phewee! we're tired just thinking about what you're going through!)