Breastfeeding, Breech, and Snow

I've been waiting for it, and its happened. After I had Grace, Angelina would sit and breastfeed her baby dolls. I understood that she didn't remember breastfeeding and that's why it was after I had Grace, and she saw it, that she did it. It made me so proud! I would tell her, "Good girl, that's how we feed out babies, right?" And she would respond, "Yep!"
So I have been waiting for Grace thinking maybe she would do it sooner, because we are still a 'nursing couple'. Well the other night Goran and I went out together, and my parents came to watch the girls for us. When we came home, there was Gracey, all freshly bathed, in her PJ's, nursing her baby 'Belle". I almost cried. Mom said that a little while before, she saw her tugging and trying so hard to get her shirt up, to nurse her baby! The way I figure it, she likely missed me, and was missing the 'connection' of breastfeeding, so went ahead and nursed her baby. Again, it makes me proud that she 'breastfeeds' her babies. But also she understands the connection and still needs it from me. I luv her so much. I am so glad I decided to nurse through this pregnancy, and I am still able to enjoy this with her. An added benefit, they say siblings that nurse together, share a special bond!

Now our next topic.
Sylvia came today for home visit, and after we chatted, had tea, and baked good, we got down to business. Blood pressure, weight, I did the GBS swab, ect. Then she checks baby's positioning, and it appears baby is breech. All I have to say is YUCK! But I have had a few hours to think this out. I declined all interventions at this time. Why you may ask? Here is why,

1. Baby could have 3 weeks to turn around yet
2. So far baby has been head down every time, except this one time
3. If we do an external version, and baby turns, but baby's cord gets trapped, and heart rated drops, I end up with a c-section.
4. I have a very adequate pelvis, and I know, and my midwife knows I can do it!(thank you Sylvia for giving me the power to trust my body!)
5. The % of baby's breech in labor is 3-4 %. So my chances are low.

So there you have it. In 3 weeks if baby is still playing silly, then I may rethink my decision. But right now, I want to enjoy my last few weeks, and trust my body. Its really hard. Everyone seems to get pretty worked up about this. What if this happens, or that, what if, what if, what if? And 99% of the time the what ifs never happen and baby turns, and comes out just fine. And many times a baby is this way for a reason, a tight cord, cord around the neck, ect. I remember now with Grace, it was hard to enjoy the pregnancy because of how she layed. The last month or so was filled with worry, and in the end she came out perfect. I bit strangely, but everything worked out just fine. Right now my plan is to think positive, and enjoy the last few weeks.To soon its over, and I will be wishing I was pregnant again:)

And the snow! November 8, the first day! Wow! I am so surprised! The kidz absolutely luved it! Really all they did was walk in it, and eat it, (another yuck)but they luved it none the less. Angelina kept saying things like,"Look, its on the trees!" and "Its covering the ground!" Boy, is she in for a surprise after our first good snow fall!

Well I'm off to the TV. Hope every ones week is going well, and I will post again soon!

Happy Halloween!!

Angelina is quit excited about donning on her costume, and taking to the streets. Grace, I'm sure will be happy to tag along. Here they are ready to go in their costumes.






The midwife apt. was yesterday, and everything was splendid. Baby is head down, low, but not engaged as I had thought. Next week Sylvia will come for a home visit to 'check things out'. I always luv when they come into the home. So much more personal. I make tea, and home baked goods to share...its really like a visit with friend.
I also blew up the pool, 'just in case' I go early. I can always hope! Goran is getting the downstairs shower functional, and putting in a nice spray shower head for if I need that for some pain relief. He is also brushing up on his coaching skills, by reading "The Birth Partner" by Penny Simkin. He read it while I was pregnant with Grace and requested it to read again. I'm also gathering supplies. Bedsheets for the futon, old towels, receiving blankets, hats for Baby, space heater, so it can be nice and warm, just birthing stuff. Its nice to be doing something in preparation.
I have also started nesting. Going, room by room, and giving a good cleaning. Clearing out closets, going through cloths, that kind of thing. With both the girls I did this as well, and it was a few weeks before birth. I am also cooking casseroles, and baking breads, cookies, and muffins for the freezer. This way after Baby comes I won't have so much to do. I can put a casserole in for supper, get muffins out for guests, all that sort of thing.
As it turns out Angelina guiltily told me yesterday that she wants to go to Cheryl's house to see her house. It has nothing to do with the baby, and she would actually like to see the baby, and maybe watch some TV when the time comes. So when the times comes, I will just let her come and go from the room as she pleases and see how she handles that. I told her after Baby comes she can go to Cheryl's and tell her if its a boy or girl. She said that was great.
Daycare is going well. My friend, from down the street, and I had a Halloween party for the kidz on Monday. We sang songs, played games, did a craft, and decorated cookies. They had a GREAT time. I am scaling down activities and crafts abit, as I am getting more tired. I am still doing them, as the kids LUV them, just some simplier things. Gluing, coloring, free flow stories and songs through the day, that sort of thing. We are still going outside every day, and walking Angelina to preschool and back on Thursdays.

I have 9 wool soakers complete. I just have to wash and lanalize them. I have enough wool for one more, so I am working on it now, and when I'm done it, that's it for now. I have a few different sizes, and varied that pattern a bit to figure out how to do one I really like. I am happy with what I learned, and with what I made. This way if I do really like them, I can make some bigger sizes when Baby needs them, and I will know just how to do it.

I 'm still feeling good, tired, but nothing unusual. When I get a whole nights sleep I'm good. But if Grace has been up a few times, I'm a bit ruff the following day. Sometimes I think I would really like to be done being pregnant, but then a day like today, I'm ok with a few more weeks. But I guess whether I like it or not, Baby will come on his/her agenda, not mine:)

Following is a picture, as the girls make my tummy into a pumpkin/jack-o-lantern. Such a blast!

34 weeks and 5 days, Pics!

Here is a few pictures I promised.

Here we are for the Hiemstra Family Thanksgiving walk. The tree behind us is the tree that we usually climb and have a picture done in, but, well, I wasn't quite up for climbing this year:)


And here I am, just last night. Its amazing to see myself. How much my baby belly has grown, and see the 'drop'. Now that I see it in a picture, I can really see the slope of my belly, and how low it is.

A Sing Along

I put the baby car seat in the van. In preparation for the baby's first care ride. When I did it I also switched the girls around. Grace is in Angelina's old spot, and the baby car seat is beside her. So they are both in the middle. Angelina is in the back. It is much easier getting them in and out. I don't have to run around from side to side to buckle them up. (I don't know how people did it when vans only had one side door.) And they can't fight either now. I always kept them together thinking they could play, and keep each other company, but they just fought more then anything. Everyone needs a little space, right?
So, off I went shopping last night. Each one in their 'new' spot. On the way home I caught Angelina singing to the music. Just a kidz CD I have in the car. It was very cute. She didn't know all the words, but when the chorus came on, I could here her trying so hard to get the words in time with the CD. She's grow, and becoming such a preschooler.

As for me, I am getting uncomfortable. During the last week, my pelvis pressure has increase. By the end of the night the inside of my thighs are throbbing, and my back is really starting to hurt too. Its almost like a nerve. Just the way Baby sits sometimes...and I can hardly more, it hurts. And the braxton hicks are becoming more frequent, and a wee bit uncomfortable. A few weeks ago, I was getting tired and all that, but I wasn't ready for the pain of childbirth quite yet. I was willing to put up with pregnancy as trade of for that. But now, I would just like to sleep on my back, walk without waddling, and be able to get up off the couch with out help, or grunting, go 3 hours between trips to the bathroom....So now I am ready. I am willing and ready to accept and embrace the pain of childbirth, because when its over, I will feel sooo much better. And I would really like to hold my baby in my arms. Watch the love in Goran's face as he see his new child for the first time. See the wonder on the girls faces when they see their new baby...
Yes, I am ready for that now. But all in good time. Babies tend to have their own time table;)

Dropped

Yesterday I was resting on the couch, and I got up to get ready to wake the kidz up. Suddenly I had the urge to pee so bad, I almost didn't make it from the couch to the bathroom. I thought to myself, "That was strange." But continued about the afternoon.
"Oh, my goodness!"exclaimed one of my mom's who was picking up her son when she saw me. "You've dropped."
I started thinking about the when I had gotten up off the couch. Hummm.
So when Goran got home, I lifted up my shirt and asked him, "Does it look like I dropped?"
" Yes!" He exclaimed, pretty much the same way. "Big time!"
And honestly, I can feel it. The past week or so I have had a hard time catching my breath, and my bra has been really digging into me by the end of the day. But, I can breath better! And Baby's feet feel just a bit lower then before when he/she goes on a kicking spree. And, and I can feel extra pressure in my perineum, that is in a different place than before.
So it looks to other people like I dropped, and it feels like it to me. "Dropped" referes to the baby's head descending in to the pelvis in preparation for labor. For a first time baby it is quite normal for it to happen at this time. Usually with 2nd, 3rd, ect baby's it doesn't happen until the woman goes into labor. But, its not unheard of to happen now, and it likely means I will have lots of prodormal labor. This is a lot of start and stop labor. It means changes are happening in preparation for labor. It usually results in a shorter labor, when labor really does kick in. But in the mean time it can be very tiring, and the woman, (me) is in a constant state of alertness.
But, knowing all this will give me an advantage. I am a prepared, and ready to get my rest.
My mom predicted that I would go early. I kept saying "No." But now, I think she might be on to something. Only time will tell. And really, it doesn't mean that much, I could still hang onto well into December!!

The rest of the family is doing well. Grace is still getting up to pee at night, but goes to bed right afterwards. And I am usually up once or twice anyways, so no big deal. Angelina does as well, but she is old enough she does it all on her own. Goran is busy, as usual. He is looking for a deep freezer for me. Just a smallish apt. size one, so I can put some extra food in it, in preparation for the baby's birth. This way I won't have to do to much cooking afterwards. I could make some bread and freeze it too.....

Well, that's all for now. I will get Goran to take a few pics, and post them to see if anyone else notices the difference.

Have a great day!!

Great Visit

I had a great visit today at the midwives. Sylvia said everything is running along on course, and baby is doing well. I am 33 weeks today!! I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. It has been such a busy summer, and with the late arrival of fall weather, it is surreal that impending birth is only about 7 weeks away. I see Lisa my 3rd in 2 weeks, and 2 weeks after that Sylvia comes for a home visit. I will be 37 weeks then, and after that point, anything goes! Wow, sometimes I can't believe that by Christmas time our family will be 5!

Grace came down with a nasty virus, and was running a high fever all weekend. So there was some sleep, but mostly broken into a few hours at a time. One night I was up every 4 hours giving her Tylenol, and last night she slept from midnight to about 6:30am, but when she woke she had soiled herself. YUCK! What a thing to deal with at 6:30 in the morning. So needless to say, bedsheets were washed, toddler was washed, and everyone smelled much better after that. Her fever broke, so she is feeling better, but still very tired. She actually went and crawled into bed on her own tonight. I just put her jammies on, kissed her, and let her go.

Angelina and I had 'talk' about the baby's arrival. She really isn't looking forward to it, and when I asked if she would like to go to Cheryl's when the baby 'comes out', she responded with a very definite yes. I was disappointed, but I understand that this is all very hard for her to grasp. So I, with a heavy heart, agreed she could go. But I also reminded her if she changed her mind, she could stay.

So that is really it for me. My comfort level is still good. With the ruff week and weekend past, I've been tired, but my energy is building again, and I feel ready for another 7 weeks.

Have a great week all, and I will post again soon.

Adventures Continue.....

Here is my grumpy girl yesterday morning at 6:15 am. Just as grumpy as mommy!!

And she is this morning, at 7:30ish, feeling much better!

So last night wasn't as bad, and she lasted until 3:45ish am. I heard her pad off to the bathroom on her own, and held my breath hoping she would go back to bed. Nope. After a few minutes I heard her playing with a squeaky book. I waited. A few minutes later I can still here her. OK, so I have to get up. I sit down across from her.
"It's night time. We have have to go back to bed." I tell her.
"Ma ma, pee pee," she says getting off the potty.
"Great," I said.
'But that is not the point," I think to myself
But out loud I say, "You can have a smarties and go back to bed."
She nods her understanding. Off to the kitchen. As I give her her smarties, I notice she's a bit warm. Like Temperature, hot warm. Maybe this explains the last few nightly wanderings. Maybe something is bothering her. I give her some Tylenol, and off to bed.
"And you have to be quiet," I tell her as I slip her into bed, "Or mommy will put you in the playpen." I point to in the corner, so she understands.
She just smiles at me.
I hit the sack, hoping, praying that is the end. Nope. 15-20 minutes, just I am dosing off I hear her voice carrying some off note tune of a song she remembers. Time to follow through.
"Sorry Hunny, you are going to have to sleep in the playpen," I whisper, as I pick her up, her pillow, blanket, and baby.
I gently place her in, put her blanket on, and tell her, "I luv you Grace, have fun."
I know she is safe now, and the mumbled singing doesn't bother me. I didn't hear her after awhile, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
Well, much better. We all woke up at 7:30. Great!! Much better. I will keep working on it. I know she can get through this.