38th Week

Wow!  38 weeks - 2 weeks left until the due date (july 27th).  Hard to believe we're at this point.  It's pretty surreal to think we will have a living, breathing human baby in our arms soon!

The first two photos were actually taken last weekend (37 weeks) at a park here on the Sunshine Coast with giant Fir trees.  Big trees, big belly!!  The next 2 photos are from this last weekend at 38 weeks.   As you can see, the belly is not gigantic, but it's definitely big, and sitting quite low.  

In the last few weeks, my belly has dropped - so the bulk of the belly is sitting lower.  This has been a relief because it has eased the sharp pain I had in my upper abdomen and mid back for the last several months.  This has made moving around, standing and even sitting a lot more comfortable.  On the flip side, because the baby is sitting so low, I have had an increase in pre-labor cramping from the weight of the baby pushing down on my cervix.  Ouch!

Last week we found out from our midwife that the baby's head is "fully engaged" (and ready to go) - which means it's dropped right down into my pelvis.  This is good news.  While it could mean Baby could come at any time, the midwife also said we could still go past our due date - so we still have no clue when the big day will come...  But at least my body is gearing up for the big journey ahead.

So, now it's all about the waiting game....  Waiting and wondering what our little Ricey will be like - how big or small, boy or girl, good or poor sleeper/eater, etc!!  And especially wondering when I'll go into labor!!  Every little pain makes me wonder if "this is it?"!! 

Unless we go into labor sooner rather than later, I hope to get one last batch of belly photos.  Then the next batch will feature Ricey.  So stay tuned!!  Love to all - Danielle, Adam + 1

32 Weeks - 2 months left

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since our last posting.  Unbelievably, we only have 2 months left of this pregnancy (give or take 2 weeks).  I am on mat leave now, as of this week, and enjoying my last 2 months of "non-motherhood".  And as it turns out, the weather here has been spectacular - hot and sunny (truth be told, I'm melting from the heat, but I still love it).

Overall, I'm doing better.  The nausea and vomiting is much better and I've managed to ween myself off the anti-nausea medication completely (this was very hard as every time I lowered the dose I had rebound symptoms for a few days).  While I rarely throw up nowadays, I'm pretty much nauseous every morning for 2-3 hours.  This is not fun, but so much more manageable than how things were before.  It just makes going to my morning yoga classes challenging!  I really have to pace myself and sometimes just sit out some of the class when the nausea gets intense.  

In addition, for the last month, I've had some pre-term labor symptoms flare up (menstrual like cramping with a lot of pressure).  The cause seems to be walking!  So, the midwives have advised that I take it even more easy than I already am and cut out walking.  I'm ok walking around the house and doing chores, but I can't walk more than 2 blocks without the labor symptoms flaring up.  So as long as I take it easy, I seem to be ok and we really want our little Ricey to stay put until at least weeks 38/39.  The good news is that when the due date is imminent, I'll know what to do to start getting the labor going - just go for a walk!!!

Otherwise, all the test results and indications are looking great.  Ricey is very active and likes to do big stretches in my belly.  I'm getting very excited for our delivery and can't wait to find out if our Ricey is a boy or a girl.  Everyone has an opinion at this point and it will be fun to find out once and for all what the gender is.

That's all for now...  Love,  Danielle & Adam + 1

Week 26 - 6th Month

After months of illness, I finally feel like I'm back on my feet.  I've felt mostly good for the last month, with only occasional bouts of morning sickness.  I'm enjoying having my personality back too!!  When I was sick, I felt like a completely different person and the things I normally liked were of little interest.  Now - I feel more like myself - what a relief!!!

I can't believe that we have under 3.5 months left to go.  Time is flying...  Our little Ricey is quite active these days.  Sometimes it feels like he/she is doing yoga in my belly!  Lot's of big stretches followed by kicks.  And clearly Ricey has an appetite because most days I feel endlessly hungry!  I have a hard time ever feeling satiated - how weird!  I feel like I spend a large amount of every day thinking about food - what to eat, what to eat next, what to eat now that I just ate and am still starving!!!  Aaah!  At least I'm able to eat now though, which is something I really struggled with in the first 4.5 months...

I have been trying to stay somewhat active.  I take 2 yoga classes per week - and they are my salvation.  I so look forward to them every week.  My body feels good doing yoga and I'm convinced that it has helped me keep many of the typical aches and pains of pregnancy at bay.  I'd like to say I'm going to the gym regularly, but I'm just not.  But I do go occasionally.  Going for walks and chores around the house/garden also count as activity in my mind - especially with all this extra belly weight I'm carrying around.

And for those who know me well, you'd be amazed at how many books I've read during this pregnancy (all related to pregnancy, delivery or parenting).  I'm quite pleased with this new habit, but know that once Baby comes, there will be little time for reading.  So I'm taking advantage of it while I can and filling my brain with info now.

I have 5 weeks of work left before I go on maternity leave.  While I'm looking forward to enjoying the last two months of my pregnancy without work, I do have mixed feelings about putting my work on hold.  I've worked so hard to build my practice that I have a lot of reservations about putting it on hold.  That said, I'm sure that once I'm on leave, I'll be enjoying not having to work and commute to Vancouver every week!!!

That's about it for this update.  The belly is growing and growing - as you can see from the pictures.  And we are getting excited to meet our little Ricey.  Since we aren't going to find out the gender of the baby in advance, we are also excited to find out if Ricey is a boy or a girl.  Yay!

Belly Photos - Week 19

Here are the belly shots from the beginning of Week 19 (last Saturday).  There's been some growth since then as it's almost been a week since I took those pictures, but not as dramatic as the last few weeks!

I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much better these days on the whole - thank god!  As long as I don't let myself get hungry I'm ok - which means that I'm constantly eating!  I've never eaten so much in my life!!!  I'm still throwing up several times per week, but at least I feel better immediately afterwards and can carry on with whatever I'm doing.  This is HUGE progress!  And I'm also back to being active again - after a long first trimester of complete inactivity due to sickness.  I'm going to the gym most days of the week and taking two yoga classes per week.  It feels GREAT to be able to be active again.

I have been feeling the fluttering feeling of the Baby's movements since week 17.  It's a very strange feeling, and it took me a while to realize what it was...  

Next week we begin week 20 - half way there!!  It's crazy to think that in 20 weeks we'll have our little Ricey with us - and we won't have much sleep for many weeks after that!!!

First Baby Photos - Week 19

Today is a big day for us.  Our little Ricey had his/her first baby photos taken (also known as an ultrasound!!).  And it's also the day we found out for sure that we're only having ONE baby (for the last week, everyone's been asking me if I'm having twins because my belly has popped out so much!).  We were so lucky to have a very friendly and enthusiastic ultrasound technician who told us that everything looks great and who giggled several times because Ricey is very active and wiggled around a lot...  (Just like his/her Mama!!).  Needless to say, Mama, Daddy and grandma-to-be (Jan) were all smitten and very much in love!

 

In the first four photos you can see 3 pictures of Ricey's face, and one great one of his/her spine.  In the last 3 photos, you can see 2 more face photos and finally, our favorite photo  - one BIG FOOT!!  I think Ricey may have a new nickname:  "Bigfoot"!!

Sunny Days in February

Ok, here's the evidence that the photo in my last posting was actually me!  I got Adam to snap these today on his lunch break, out in the sun...  I wonder if Ricey was shocked by all that bright light filtering into his/her womb-home...  S/He has never experienced sunlight before!

We had our regular check-up with the midwife today.  Everything is looking good.  And apparently, we have a very active baby, according to the midwife.  She was trying to listen to his heart-beat, but he/she was kicking so much, that it was hard to find it.  Adam and I got to hear what the kicks sound like over the monitor and we both giggled at the sounds of our little one kicking away.  I'm still not really able to feel the kicks, but it shouldn't be long now.

Today is a good day.  In fact, I might even try cooking dinner tonight.  Ask Adam - this is a major improvement because I haven't been able to get near food since December.  Hopefully my stomach cooperates and I can make us a meal tonight...  Fingers crossed.

The First Three Months

As you all know by now, Adam and I are expecting our first baby.  Our due date is July 27th, 2009.  We are now at week 17 (early in the 4th month).  I've wanted to start this blog for a while, but I've been so terribly sick that I just didn't have it in me until now.  So here it is, finally!

It all started a few days after Obama was elected!  How memorable!  But we didn't find out that we're pregnant until Nov. 23rd 2008 - Adam's 35th bday!  What a monumental birthday gift for the Dad-to-be.  Shortly after discovering that we're pregnant, I was reading up on our baby's in utero development.  At that time, our baby was no bigger than a grain of rice - and from there, the nickname "Ricey" was generated, and has stuck.  

After all the celebration, we had about a week and a half to go before the morning sickness kicked in... And since then, it's been pretty hellish to be honest.  I was very sick, all day and all night, throughout the entire first trimester and am still dealing with it now in the second trimester.  Because I was loosing weight from not being able to keep food and fluids down, I

 went on anti-nausea/vomitting medication, which has helped.  Since then, I have been able to keep my food down and gain back the weight, although I continue to still struggle with regular nausea and vomitting.  Let's just say that it really hasn't been fun at all.  But thankfully I have an amazing husband who has been there every step of the way and has stepped up and taken excellent care of me.  I don't know what I would have done without him - it would have been unbearable...  I am so grateful for Adam and everything he has done for me, and continues to do for me.    I know he is going to be an amazing Dad...

And so here we are, 17 weeks pregnant...  I'm having more and more good days, but still having nasty sick days.  But I'm hopeful that I will get past the sickness once and for all and be able to truly enjoy this pregnancy.  For those who know me well, you'd be shocked at what my diet is like these days!!  I have more food aversions than food cravings.  In fact, food in general is a touchy subject for me...  I've mostly been eating carbs, carbs, carbs and lot's of cheese... no veggies and no fruit.  I've been able to expand my diet in the last couple of weeks, but it's still pretty finicky and limited.

But even with the weight loss, the endless sickness and 

the weird, limited diet, our little Ricey has had a major growth spurt in the last two weeks.  In fact, I'm in complete shock at how fast my belly has popped out.  In the last two weeks I've gone from not much of a belly to a very visible pregnant belly and wearing maternity clothes.  I think Daddy's genes are really at work here!!  We may have a big baby on our hands!!

My brother asked me to take a picture of my belly with my i-Phone.  So below is my first photo of Ricey!  Adam and I will take more pictures this weekend... so stay tuned!