So here I am at 19 weeks…
While I still don’t have what I would call a real “bump” I decided I am ready to begin taking belly photos.
Side note: sorry if you find it weird that I’m lifting my shirt, but otherwise it really doesn’t look like anything. I will put my shirt down once it becomes obvious under clothes.
I’ve gained 9 pounds.
I’m now wearing maternity jeans, but I’m still in all other normal clothes.
My sweet little passenger is now the size of a mango or a large heirloom tomato, depending on which website I look at. At the doctor this week Baby K’s heartbeat sounded strong and we learned that our prenatal screening tests were low-risk for the major genetic disorders and do not need to do an amnio. Hooray!
Baby K craves Beef, Milk and Watermelon the most.
Baby K is moving around and I’m pretty sure I can now differentiate between baby movement and gas or uterine growth. Sometimes it feels like soft little internal punches, sometimes it feels like s/he is balling up and sticking her/his little tush out and sometimes it feels like a rolling motion. I love this so much!
R and I have gone looking at baby items such as strollers, car seats and rocking chairs.
Baby K has already received a couple of presents and I purchased her/his first clothing…
First clothing purchase (I just couldn’t resist):
First present from “Grandma B” (she couldn’t resist either):
Second present from our friends Dan & Reagan (the diapers were addressed to “Dad”):
Things I’m thinking about are…
–Breastfeeding: to take a class or read a book instead?
–Infant Care: I’ve never lived with an infant, but R has lived with several, so he’s way ahead of me in terms of comfort and ease around small babies. We will probably take a class.
–Labor/Delivery: Get a doula? Take a class? I will definitely not make any kind of real birth plan but instead go with the flow and do what feels right in my body as labor progresses.
Our Anatomy/Gender ultrasound got moved up one week, so we’ll hopefully learn if Baby K is a boy (like we and most everyone else thinks) or a girl (which 2 people think) this coming Friday morning! Just 4.5 days 3 days until we get another glimpse of the passenger. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it!
My mantra leading up to this ultrasound is: Healthy Happy Baby, Healthy Happy Baby.
And that’s the word on the pregnancy street.
*
Big Smile Here ; )
Another big smile, Dad and Mom
More congratulations, I can’t wait to hold the little one, as I did when you were just a wee one. Love, to you and Rory. Soon to be Mom and Dad. xoxox
Unsolicited advice of the week from EB:
1) Breastfeeding: Take a class, read a book, and get a lactation consultant in the hospital. Do all you can. It’s really not as intuitive as you would think… its really sore at first… but gets SO much easier, convenient and is the best thing for the babe. My pediatrician’s office had a lactation consultant that visited me in the hospital and i had a follow up appt with her afterwards and that was helpful for her to hands on make sure he was latching on where he was supposed to etc. And finally, there’s no such thing as too much lanolin 🙂 I finished at 13 months and was sad 🙁
2) Infant class: Yes. We didn’t. Can’t hurt. We did watch the movie “THe happiest baby on the block” about 2 nights before I delivered (cramming!) and that was helpful… Kevin especially liked it and used the skills.
3) Delivery: take a class, get a doula if you want… again, not intuitive. I thought that since I can “breathe” my way through things that I’d be fine… turns out that “breathing” my way through things didn’t really relax my pelvis. The best thing my labor and delivery nurse told me was to wiggle my toes through each contraction because if you’re wiggling your toes, you can’t physically tighten your butt muscles 🙂
And last but not least…
4) RE: Diapers: If you find out you’re having a boy, DON”T get the ‘umbilical care” diapers with the little cut out for the umbilical cord stump… that happens to be a straight shot out of the diaper for the little boy wee wee. Took us awhile to figure out why we kept getting soaked.
You’ll do great.
This is wonderful, thanks for the update. Can’t wait for the next one. Happy Healthy Baby!!!!!!!!
Pretty sure that you look gorgeous in that photo!!!! 🙂
Woot woot!! Go ba-by K and ma-ma K! Go ba-by K and dad-dy K!
(that is in a singing tune of course)!
Xoxo
Chels
Like Erica, I am gonna give some unsolicited advice! Hope you don’t mind.
1. Breastfeeding: I agree with Erica. Take a class. Everyone told me to. I didn’t. Figured it would be intuitive. It wasn’t! I ended up suffering a lot of nipple rejection and pain. It was really hard! Plus the whole feeding and pumping schedule can be really complicated. Now, you may be the most natural person that has ever lived when it comes to feeding and pumping…but my advice is. Don’t take that chance. Take a class. Also, pump station in Hollywood has great lactation consultants. Oh and register for a great medela pump. It will be your best friend and ticket to breast feeding freedom. I can explain more on this if you want.
2. Infant care: we took an infant care class and CPR class. Both we very helpful. We learned how to wash a newborn, diaper, different burping positions. Different positions to alleviate gas, etc. Some of it is intuitive, but for me who was never around babies…it was invaluable.
3. Doula/birthing class: these were my best investments during my pregnancy. I would not have made it through 36 hours of labor without my doula. True, I was going natural, but ifnyou are even considering it…I would get a doula. During my 36 hours of labor…she massaged me for 90% of the time. She knew where to massage to disperse the pain and she made the labor pains manageable. I swear, I would have caved and gotten an epi instantly without her. Another reason a doula is great is to help in the hospital. So many things are happening to you and being said to you and done to you and not all of them are necessary. A doula, although not a medically trained person by any means, knows whatis necessary and what is not. This is also why a birth plan is helpful. They aren’t written in stone, but they force the hospital to respect your wishes and not barrel through their agenda (speed).
Birthing class: taking a birthing class doesn’t mean you aren’t respecting your body, if anything, you are equipping it with the tools it could possibly need during labor and delivery. Yur voice training and breathing technique will come in handy during labor for sure. But the birthing class helped me with information regarding: early signs of labor, the stages of labor, what to expect in the hospital, what to expect once you get home. They also gave meditation exercises, breathing, labor positions, massage points, etc. As much as I had read and prepared, I drew from the information I received in this class the most. That with the doula helped me have an amazing birthing experience.
And finally:
Do perineal massage. I had a huge baby and no tearing!
You look amazing in that photo, by the way. I can’t wait to see more pics and to hear if you are carrying a boy or girl passenger. Sooo exciting!! Xoxox
You look fabulous and you sound so happy! Keep the pictures and the updates coming! SOOOO excited for you all.
This was my favorite breastfeeding book; I gave it to Erica so maybe you can convince her to mail it to you: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155832304X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0316779245&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1YARNH9JCQ0SF6YG2CFK
Take a childbirth class so you know some of the tips you can utilize. Don’t let them trick you into believing that holding an ice cube in your hand is a good approximation of childbirth pain.
You are adorable!!!! I hope you lift your shirt up for all the maternity pics…I am sure your preggo belly will be cute the whole time!
So excited for your ultrasound on Friday. If you send out a text with the gender, I would love to be on that list. I’m not sayin’; I’m just sayin’.
BTW, I’m a firm believer that you will have the birthing experience you need, even if it’s not the one you wanted. Just take in every moment…can’t wait to read your birthing experience.
I can feel the excitement you have for this little newcomer & am so happy for you & R. We can’t wait to see her?/him? Love, Aunt Susan & Uncle Kent