Archive for 2009

Call me now for a free reading, dahrlin’!

1 Comment
Posted 04 Sep 2009 — by Mrs. Jenna
Category baby business, please and thank you

Maybe I’m more in tune to my body than I think. Maybe I AM in fact, Ms Cleo’s less-Jamaican intern.

I finally went to the doc yesterday because I was having a leaking sensation (again), and the midwife checked everything out and everything seemed good. He attributed the leaking sensation to the ridiculous amount of discharge I had. (gross) The tests he ran against it showed it wasn’t amniotic fluid, and that my cervix was still thick and tight, but the baby’s head was rightthere on my cervix. (PS – that makes my second internal – BOOO). He ran the test for the protein released when contractions are “going to work” and said he’d only call me if it came back positive, but that he didn’t anticipate that happening since everything looked good.

He just said to take it easy and come back in a couple weeks for my normal appointment.

And then at 8:00pm last night he called. The test came back positive. He said this test result means I have a slight chance of going into labor in the next two weeks. BUT he also said I could go full term, too. So, he basically said I have to come in next week for another internal, and I shouldn’t do anything out of the ordinary. Bed rest not required. If the BHs get close together again I need to come in and get hooked up to the monitors. He really was surprised that it came back positive. He said NOTHING from his exam pointed to this test coming back positive. He didn’t think steroid shots were necessary at this point (to mature the baby’s lungs).

(This is the webpage explaining the test.)

It seems like a lot of women have this test and still carry their babies to full term, but I’m still freaked out. I took today off so I could just lay and rest anyway…and I plan on doing that a lot this weekend. I’m still having contractions, and of course, they’re more uncomfortable than before, but I’m hoping that’s just because I had a dude’s hand up my vag for like, 10 minutes yesterday.

I was totally fine and being the calm one about it until I called my mom last night to tell her and then I cried like a baby. I’m not ready for an outside baby yet. AT ALL. Esp at this point.

But, it’s really kind of out of my hands. The whole pregnancy really is. I’m doing all I can to keep this baby healthy and inside…and if my body wants to be a jerk and send me into pre-term labor, then it will. Of course, I’ll still fight it till the end to keep this baby inside, but I can’t control anything. Which is a really shitty feeling.

Thoughts, prayers, good vibes – whatever you have to offer would be appreciated. I’l take what I can get at this point to keep this baby inside.

This will be random.

No Comments
Posted 02 Sep 2009 — by Mrs. Jenna
Category baby business

I’m going through a weird time with this pregnancy…filled with odd anxieties and excitement. Maybe it’s just par for the course at this point in the 9 months…but yeah…freaking myself out.

I have this irrational fear that something is wrong. That I’m somehow leaking amniotic fluid or that the baby has developed some weird issue. Do I have anything to back up these feelings? No. Not really. I’m thinking it’s mostly due to the insane amount of braxton hicks I’m having and the fact that I haven’t technically seen the baby for 2.5 months. I’m all worried that I’m going to go into labor like, tomorrow. Again…unfounded. I’m worried that my belly doesn’t seem to have gotten any bigger in the past couple of weeks.

I don’t have another appointment until the 17th. I don’t know if I can wait that long to have someone reassure me that everything looks okay.

In other, less stressful news – our first birthing class is at 6:30 tonight. HOLY CRAP. And the baby’s room is coming along quite well. Still waiting to take some more pictures until a couple more prints have been hung.

30 weeks.

No Comments
Posted 01 Sep 2009 — by Mrs. Jenna
Category baby business

How far along? 30 weeks.
Total weight gain/loss: Still about + 25 lbs, give or take a pound.
Maternity clothes? Yup. And my fav maternity jeans are getting a little tight. NOOOOOO!
Stretch marks? What stretch marks? (Still refusing to look at my thighs.)
Sleep: HORRID. The steady decline of comfort hath officially begun. I’m now sleeping with 3 down pillows, a body pillow and the boppy belly wedge.
Best moment this week: Seeing my parents!!!
Movement: Yes. The hubs got to see some pretty crazy stuff last night.
Food cravings: I would like a big slice of marble cake with vanilla frosting. (My birthday IS in 12 days. *cough*getmeacakehubs*cough*)
Gender: Most are leaning girl. I’m just going to stay neutral until the end.
Labor Signs: Effing Braxton Hicks. Hate you. HATE.
Belly Button in or out? Both. And it’s starting to look gross.
What I miss: Not having sciatica when I walk and an awesome night’s sleep.
What I am looking forward to: A full day at the State Fair!
Weekly Wisdom: Even if you feel like superwoman while pregnant…REST. Rest often and for long periods of time. I haven’t been and I pay the price for it frequently.
Milestones: Uh, holy crap. Only 10 MORE WEEKS. (70 DAYS PEOPLE.)

Get your mumps out of my face.

No Comments
Posted 31 Aug 2009 — by Mrs. Jenna
Category baby business, other people are morons

Last night, while chatting with the hubs and sister-in-law, and then while perusing the 2010 Ikea catalog (many earmarks were made, let me tell you) – I half-watched the Dateline special called “A Dose of Controversy” about vaccinations, autism, and the he-said she-said war of who’s right.

A statement given by the American Academy of Pediatrics to Dateline pretty much sums up why I WILL be vaccinating my child. Specifically:

While it is likely that there are many environmental factors that influence the development of autism, vaccines are not the cause of autism. We know this because many careful and repeated studies show no link between vaccines and autism. Specifically, numerous studies have refuted Andrew Wakefield’s theory that MMR vaccine is linked to bowel disorders and autism. Every aspect of Dr. Wakefield’s theory has been disproven.

Don’t get me wrong, I am concerned about Autism and the possibility of my child developing it. However, it’s sounding more and more like a genetic defect (which one study says possibly develops sometime in the 2nd trimester) and at this point, may be unavoidable. In the meantime, since almost all studies show that there is NO LINK between childhood vaccines and Autism, I will have my kids vaccinated. It’s more important now than ever to have your kids vaccinated since so many parents are NOT vaccinating their children, exposing EVERYONE to the possibility of any number of diseases and infections that haven’t been widespread for years, like whooping cough and measles.

It’s a very sensitive subject with parents, and one I would probably leave on the shelf among strangers (like religion and politics) because people’s mind’s are usually pretty made up on the topic. I will not try to convince someone otherwise if they choose to not vaccinate. I WILL protect my child from those people’s children by vaccinating them.

In less controversial news, I’d like to give a shout out to my sciatic nerve for ruining my day.

Was that a Mack truck? Oh wait – it was just the weekend.

No Comments
Posted 30 Aug 2009 — by Mrs. Jenna
Category baby business, I am a moron, marriage, retail therapy

This weekend was a good one for sure, but completely wiped me out. We got so much done, spent a lot of time with my parents, and had a lot of fun. However, I am paying the price today. And last night. I paid the price last night too.

Anyway – we started the weekend out with a De La Soul concert at First Avenue on Thursday night, and after that wrapped up, headed to the hotel where my parents would be staying.

Friday, the hubs and I cleaned up the house, and once my parents arrived, my dad and I installed a ceiling fan/light fixture in the baby’s room. And we did it – we powered it up and it worked without smoking or blowing up. (High-five, Dad!) It looks pretty nice. I’ll take some more pics when we have a little more done. Friday night we went to a bar/restaurant in Northeast and then called it a night.

Saturday, my mom and I went to the Mall of America where she purchased early birthday gifts for me – work (maternity) clothes. The passing of labor day means no more “casual summer” at my job. Le sad. But now, I am set. Like my mom said – hopefully I don’t get put on bedrest or something and can actually use those clothes for the rest of my pregnancy! Saturday evening we went to the state fair, walked and ate tons of food, watched The Wailers play. I also froze to death. It was about 57 degrees…at 9:30 at night…at the end of August. Gotta love Minnesota weather. Anyway, contractions started up like the weekend before, and I had to get home. Once home, I reclined on the couch where my body pretty much gave up on itself, and every muscle ached. My dear hubs ran a bath for me (the first I’ve taken since being pregnant) and it was HEAVEN. It really helped. But, sleeping was another matter. I couldn’t get comfortable and my whole body was cramping up. I’ll assume it was rebellion for the miles I walked in both the mall and the fair. In any case, I slept pretty shitty.

Today we had breakfast with my parents and then they left. It was sad, but I think I was too tired/achy to cry. I don’t know if I’ll see them again before the baby’s here…we’re going to try for them to come again in October. Anyway – I’ve pretty much been parked on the couch since then, sleeping and relaxing, something I haven’t done in a while.

And, to round out this post to be the LONGEST EVER…I have a gallbladder update. This is where I get red faced and slightly embarrassed. The thought occurred to me last week that maybe the constant rib pain on my right side was caused by something else. I always felt better in the mornings, and some evenings…and (get this) whenever I would wear a sports bra. So, I moved my bra to the next loosest hooks.

The pain went away.

I am Jack’s complete and utter embarrassment.

Granted, I still get occasional pains here and there, but the constant ache I was experiencing is gone. I’m so relived, but still trying to eat a lower fat diet to get everything under control.

Later…or tomorrow, I’m going to post about the Dateline special on (right now) about vaccines and autism.

← Previous Entries
Next Entries →