Questions!....Answers?

I have so many questions as a mom-to-be and a lot of you, my friends and family, already have experience in the baby department. I thought I would throw out some things I've been thinking about. Please give me your input because I'm clueless!

Question #1- Do you have a preference or opinion about foam vs spring crib mattresses?

Question #2- What brand of diapers did you use for your newborn? How many newborn size diapers would you start out with?

Question #3- I plan on breastfeeding (not that things always go as planned), but what feeding products/materials do I need to have on hand? Do I need to have formula and those things anyway?

That's all for now. Not that those are my only questions, but I'll spread them out over the next few weeks.

THANK YOU! I really appreciate your words of wisdom!

Week 27

Warning: LONG POST... begin at your own risk!

By now it's no secret that I'm a worrier. I'm naturally a worrier, but after our miscarriage last year I think I'm even more sensitive than I would be.

I have been noticing that the baby is not as active as she used to be two weeks ago. It seemed like her movements were coming less and less every day. After a really quiet evening and night, I woke up yesterday and still wasn't feeling her at all. She continued to be quiet until the time we were getting on our plane at 9:30- even after I had breakfast and drank some juice. I called the doctor before I got on the plane and he wanted me to go by the OB observation as soon as I could. I had always heard that a decrease in fetal movement is something you want to look out for. On the other hand, I also know that their level of activity can vary so I just wanted to know if this was a new phase she was going into or if something was wrong. Of course I was a little emotional and cried the whole way to LA but jimmy was so sweet and just held my hand the whole time. We finally got back to Houston at 7:30 pm and went to the hospital. They strapped those monitors on me and she immediately started moving all over the place. She was kicking so much you could see the sensors jump on my belly. Our doctor knew that we would be going in some time after our plane landed so while we were in there he called the nurse to check on us. Have I mentioned that we LOVE our doctor!! 9 o'clock at night and he's calling to check on us! The nurse told him that the baby was moving a lot but he still wanted me to go in for an ultrasound just to be sure everything was ok. He was faxed the results of the ultrasound and called back to say that everything looked great. That poor nurse! She has to deal with all us pregnant, paranoid, hormonal ladies coming in all hours of the day and night. For whatever reason, I am glad we went in. It helped me understand what to expect these next couple weeks and we were on the other side of the curtain from a girl that was getting ready to have her baby so we kind of heard the beginning procedures. We didn't know anything about the checking-in process before and now we know where to go and kind of what to expect when we get there.
The most interesting news for this week is this: even though yesterday was the beginning of our 27th week the baby is measuring 29 weeks 1 day! Whoa, Baby!!! Our technician just kept measuring and shaking her head. Then she'd measure again and shake her head and ask, "What did you say the expected due date is?" She didn't know this baby is an overachiever! I wondered if this would change the due date but the nurse said that it doesn't because babies can go through growth spurts at different times. She said that your most accurate due date comes from the ultrasound during your first trimester- weeks 10-12. So although she may even out with the rest of her birth-buddies by October, this little girl is growing now!!! No wonder my belly popped these past couple weeks! Jimmy is always "teasing" me that she's going to be a 12 pound baby.... if she keeps it up, she just might be!! We love 'em chubby!!

I'm trying really hard not to be a worrier. But then I start worrying that I'm being too lax and I worry even more! I promised myself that I am going to try to keep it under control now! I am going to go with the flow and just enjoy these next 12 weeks and 6 days- YES, that's all it is- 12 weeks and 6 days.... give or take 10 days. We love you, sweet baby!!!

26 Weeks!

This little Missy has spent her whole 26th week traveling- quite a trooper! I have felt pretty great the whole time but I always look forward to going home and spending a little time bonding in our quiet house.
The baby belly was photographed at my favorite place, the Sequoia National Park- General Sherman Tree! Oh, it was so good to see the General again! Baby loved breathing in the fresh mountain air and eating a scoop of Three Rivers Berry ice cream at Reimers!
I'm so happy that she is still healthy and growing! I can't wait till we can take her to all these places that we love and watch her little face as she experiences everything for the first time!

Doctor Update

So I was supposed to get an ultrasound on my stomach last Friday but I got a call from my doctor's office on Thursday telling me that I failed the glucose test. Since we were leaving town Friday evening I really only had time for one of the two tests. The nurse said that gestational diabetes was more urgent than my stomach pain so I decided to do that one and I canceled my stomach ultrasound. I went into Lab Corp for the 3 hour test and just received a call from the doctor telling me that I do not have gestational diabetes! I am so relieved! The nurse said that judging from the first test that I failed, my body does not do super well with sugar so I should try to avoid large amounts. That's not a problem. But she said that I do not need to go on any specific diet and that I can continue to eat my fruit. I'm just so happy that the baby hasn't had to deal with the effects of gestational diabetes.

I am still interested to know what the pain is in my stomach so I will have the ultrasound on the 26th or 27th for that.

100 DAYS TO GO!

There are so many points to count down from and I feel like 100 days could be one of those! We are officially going from triple to double digits!!! YAY!!! I just can't believe it! Our doctor's appointment went GREAT today! This little sweetie's heart rate was 157 and she was moving all over the place! The lady who took the heart rate was only 2 days on the job and had kind of a hard time finding the heartbeat at first. We were hearing no heartbeat but I was feeling her move all over so it was really weird. I was thinking, "Can the baby jerk around and not be alive?" Jimmy said my face was a little panicked, but then she found it and it was beautiful! I don't think my heart rate went down for at least an hour. Maybe I'm a worrier!

I told my doctor about my stomach pain and he said we will hope that it's just heartburn. I'm no expert on heartburn, but this is not a burning feeling. The fact that it is slightly on the right side raised the concern that it might be a gallbladder problem. I'm going in on Friday morning for an abdominal ultrasound. I really hope it's just heartburn.
I also had the fun gestational diabetes test today. You drink that really sweet drink and wait for an hour in the waiting room and then they draw a couple tubes- that part takes about 10 seconds. But it wasn't that bad waiting. I had some good parent magazines and took a little nap. It wasn't the old, busy Lab Corp that we usual go to in Houston, it was a brand new office in Tomball. Really nice facility and I was the only person in there the whole time.

Can't wait to see this baby girl in 100 DAYS!!!! AHHH!!!

I'm up!

Well, it's 4am and I'm up... again. My brother wakes up at 4 every morning, but he's in the AF... I'm not. I'm just a pregnant lady who wants some sleep. I've been feeling under the weather for going on a couple weeks and all I want to do is sleep and it's not working out for me. I try laying down, sitting up, reclining- no worky. And I'm having a lot of stomach pain. I don't know if that's adding to the sleep problem or causing the sleep problem. Since I have an appointment with my doctor on Wednesday I have been trying to hold out but I think I will call in a few hours and see if they can give me any insights.

Week 25

Happy day! I love the number 25! Along with the number 3, it's my favorite number. I don't know if it's cause it's the day I was born or the fact that it's the date of Christmas, but I just love the number 25! It also means that we're only 15 weeks from meeting this sweet little girl! Jimmy and I were just talking about how we remember when we were just 15 weeks along!
She is just moving all over the place! I wish there was a way to see all the different positions she is in. One day I'll feel her all on the top right, the next day it will be on the bottom left, top left, top and bottom! It's just hilarious! I wake up in the morning and wait till I feel her moving before I get up and going. It makes me smile every time!
Yesterday was the first (of many more to come) time I had a hard time reaching my feet! Jimmy and I were getting ready to go on a walk and I was huffing and puffy trying to pull my socks on and tie my shoes. We'll see how much longer I'm able to do this without assistance! A couple weeks ago I took the polish off my toenails because I knew this day would be coming and I wouldn't be able to touch them up. Oh fun! Who needs to touch their feet anyway? Who needs to wear any other shoe besides a flip flop? Not this happy pregnant lady!
We are going to the doctor on Wednesday and we're both excited to see what this appointment will be about. I don't think we get an ultrasound, but we just look forward to our monthly confirmation that she's doing great!This crazy-looking picture will have to do till this afternoon... then I'll ask Jimmy to take a new one. But did she really pop this last week or what??!!! And I think it depends a lot on how you stand, what time of day it is, etc.
Baby Girl still LOOOVES fruit! I like fruit too, but she must love it cause I can eat it any time of day or night- specifically berries. I eat berries at least twice a day if we have them.

Week 24

Baby Girl was very quiet the first part of the week. I think it was because we were really busy running around San Antonio. Usually it's just me and her all day. I have time in my not-so-busy schedule to feel her move around and think about how she's doing. I really missed that while we were traveling around. It's not like she wasn't with me, I just missed that bonding time that we have during the day. It was so nice to relax today and feel her moving around. I was so happy... maybe I cried. Pregnancy hormones can do funny things to a girl's emotions.I'm just so happy that this sweet baby is coming into our lives. I can't wait to hold her, take care of her and see her cute little face! I talked to a girl today who had both of her babies in the same hospital we will deliver at. It got me so excited! It was really good to talk to her and hear that she was very happy with everything about her experience. She said that the nurses were awesome, and the hospital has been recently renovated so she loved her room. She even has our same doctor- we already love him but she confirmed that he was great through the whole experience! Can't wait!