36 Week NST, US and Appointment

The NST went well this week, outside of Aubrey not cooperating the first half.  She was moving like crazy the entire time I was in the waiting room and of course when we get back to the room and I lay in the recliner, she goes to sleep!  

Not a single movement for the next 15 minutes regardless of me pushing on her, changing positions and the like. So instead of the normal 20 minutes of monitoring I was hooked up for about an hour.  In the end, she woke up, started moving all over, and the rest of the test went as to be expected.  They had the monitor turned away from me this time so I have no idea what her heart rate did during the entire time but it was evidently totally normal.

The Bipohysical Profile US we had done this week was also passed with flying colors. Of course on this one she was moving around like crazy, and even kicked the US wand twice so hard the tech kept laughing and making comments about it! 

Her HR was 155, and she was doing her little practice breaths like a champ.  She is estimated to have a belly measuring smaller than normal, but the other measurements (head and femur) looked on the small side of normal, so the tech just chalked up the belly to most likely being slightly off b/c she was moving around so much.

She is estimated to be weighing 5 lb 6 oz (hello, we are now 2 oz more than Bella was at birth which was exactly a week from where I am at now!), which is also considered "small" but the cord blood flow looked great and overall she is doing the same.  

Best part, even though she kept waving her hands in front of her face, and her face is towards my back, we managed to get 2 3D US pictures.  Love that when they are this far along b/c the 20 week ones still look creepy!

   

36 Week Bumpdate!

Well hello 1 month away from due date! Agh!  It's getting real folks!  

And as the 36 week board states, there is much to get done! At least we got the hospital tour out of the way this weekend.  There are reasons for these things people...namely b/c our driving around not knowing where we were going, and missing streets and parking garages is so much easier to do when NOT in labor : )

So much of me wants Aubrey to make her grand debut in 2 weeks but I'm not entirely sure with the pace I've been getting stuff done lately if we will be entirely ready! That being said, if I've learned anything from Bella, it's that yes, there are a ton of great baby things to have and use, but really if you have a car seat to take baby home, some diapers and wipes (ok, lots of diapers and wipes!), a place for the baby to sleep, some clothes and good swaddles, it's all good for several weeks.  So once we get that car seat, I guess we can manage! 

**And in all fairness, it is Bella's convertible car seat we are needing to buy, b/c Aubrey will use Bella's infant car seat.**

And just for comparison's sake, here was 36 weeks with Isabella. Not sure the bumps look strikingly different, but I can see the almost 15 lbs this time around in my face!

How Big is Baby: The size of a honeydew melon

Weight Gain: -1 (not entirely sure if this is an error on my scale or what!?) over the last 2 weeks, so +5 total. Or, after losing 12 lbs in the first tri, then gaining that back plus 5 additional, +17 overall. 

Workouts: Week 34 I was hurting all over! Bad! So I took the week off and just did one long prenatal yoga session on Friday.  My body thanked me come week 35!

Week 35 I did a strength session, a 2 mile walk, and 2 prenatal yoga videos.

Maternity Clothes: Yes.

Belly Button: It's an outie...showing through all the shirts for sure. Lovely. 

Sleep: Still meh. Some nights pretty good and getting about 7 or 8 hours of mostly good sleep (with a pee break and multiple turn overs), other nights I lay awake from 2 til 3 or 4, and then am up for good at 6 or so.  And then you have the rare but dreaded nights where I wake up at 3 am and am up for good...ugh!

Cravings: If its carbs, I'm craving it.  Or chocolate, particularly dark chocolate sea salt almonds, chocolate ice cream and dark chocolate coconut nibs. And hallelujah Costco has resurrected the "Hollidrizzle" popcorn finally! Oh yeah!

Aversions: Anything that causes me heartburn (most notably Indian food, carbs and tomatoes)...and yet I keep eating them! Argh! Otherwise ground beef/turkey and sometimes fish, although I'm still loving shrimp.

What I Missed: Still wanting an ice cold Pumpkin Beer or Oktoberfest, particularly on Halloween!

Symptoms: Heartburn what feels like all the time (ouch!), low back and pelvic pain when I am on my feet too much (AKA: pretty much every day!), pregnancy insomnia, difficulty breathing (even though Aubrey is so low, I have such a short torso there isn't much room for her to stay out of my lung space!), and general fatigue/exhaustion.

Gender: It's a GIRL!

Best Moment this Week: Halloween fun with Bella including a dance costume party at the library, carving pumpkins, and movie night with the family!

Worst Moment this Week: Finding out that I have to deliver at the main campus hospital affiliated with the one I was planning on delivering at b/c some physicians there don't support VBACs and will just take me for a c-section if they are on call. Um no thanks! Downside to other hospital is the looooonnnggg potential drive in labor (1.5 or more hours) and baths are super old and super small (and I'm trying not to think "super gross!). But if it is my means to a VBAC end, I will take it. Hence the driving around and missing our entrance and inability to find the right parking garage right away that I mentioned at the beginning of this post.

What I am Looking Forward to: Completing the nursery and buying all the essentials this week. Can't procrastinate any longer!

35 Week US/NST

Aubrey is still looking fantastic and we are now just 4.5 weeks out!

We had our NST on Monday and her heart rate ranged 137-168, but mostly sat in the 140s.  She was moving like a crazy lady (or herself I should say!).

The US today also went well. We are getting them weekly from here on out for a Biophysical Profile check, and monthly weight/size checks.  She was practice breathing a ton, and moving, once again, all over the place.  

Unfortunately b/c she kept moving we didn't get any take home pictures. She was either facing my back (and really how cute is a back of the head shot!?), or she would turn her head forward and put her hand right in front of her face. 

Oh well, there's always next week : )

I met with the same midwife as I met on Monday and she's great. I love how relaxed they are and how they make you feel they have all the time in the world.  I didn't have any questions (b/c I asked a few on Monday), and so she gave me some great tips on laboring at home, VBAC preparation, and taking Evening Primrose Oil to get everything geared up down there. 

If I ever get pregnant again, I will definitely go the midwife route, not b/c I don't like the doctors that I have had, it just feels like a totally different experience, in a great way!