Lilypie 2nd Birthday Ticker

Friday, August 24, 2007

An update and an article

A quick update for all from yesterday's Dr.'s appt. MBB has grown about 3/4 of an inch (getting less like his/her parents every day). The midwife was able to feel MBB's legs, arms and head and although I still can't figure out what is a blob and not a blog I trust that when she says everything in in the right place - no leg out the side of MBB's head - that is it.

We are still aiming for the first week of October as the due date goal - so set your calendars at the ready.

Yesterday's class was all about contraception after birth...who knew but I actually learned something (but nothing I plan to post up in this public forum!). Jason and I also had a wonderful experience in Tuesday's class, but that is for another blog on a day when I have had more than 4 hours of sleep.

For your reading pleasure CNN today posted an article on Five ways to avoid a C-section, which ironically also was part of this weeks class.

Oh and lastly, some local reporter is going o e following all the women due on Oct at the DC birth center - so if MBB and I make the news I will let you know!

Off to try and get some sleepy work done.

40 days to go!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

MBB might get a headache



After being thrown back and forth across our yard by Jason and the boys, MBB may get very dizzy! This week it feels like MBB might be playing a football game in my stomach so maybe it is just me that is getting dizzy :) In other stats:

  • MBB is between 12.75 and 20 inches. With just 6 more weeks to go MBB might be the tallest one in the family yet.
  • Between 4 3/4 and 5lbs MBB has developed initial fat layers to help regulate his/her body temperature upon birth. This is what gives those babies that cute/chubby look!

This week we have two different sets of birth appointments. Today is our first Labor Class on natural birth - Birthing from Within - http://birthingfromwithin.com/. This is a six week, once a week class that will bring us right up to the end of September. Then Thursday is our regularly schedule every other week appointment where MBB gets measured again!

So more to report soon.....

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Elizabeth might steal MBB!



Disclaimer part duex: If nothing else not being able to sleep gives me the time to update the blog more regularly. But the general disclaimer....due to lack of sleep anything and everything written below should be disclaimed as ramblings of a tired women!

Breastfeeding still seems to be the hot topic this month as all my baby emails were focused on it as well, but I think I have shared enough about it already so on to what else the emails tell us about MBB:
  • Up to about 4.5 oz and about 12.25-19.5 inches MBB is still growing at a rapid rate and has hit the stage everyone sees in photos where he/she has pulled in her legs to make some room for her/himself.
  • The baby can can process information using all five senses, but cannot smell since there is no air in the womb. MBB's sense of touch will be the most powerful and sensitive at birth - so everyone feel free to hug, kiss, pick up and generally spoil MBB (not that I have ANY worries about that!)
  • MBB is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his /her skeleton is hardening. Lucky for me MBB's bones in his/her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for labor! I was surprised to find out that these bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as MBB's brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Next week Jason and I start our labor class (click on the previous words to check out the class), where we will be once a week until the end of September - right up until the birth of MBB! I will share any items deemed appropriate blog worth as we go along.

Lastly for this morning, Hunter seems to have taken a liking to MBBs room. We think he is getting ready to be a fierce protector (hysterically funny to anyone who has ever met him) as he lies in front on the crib or in the doorway - we are still trying to get him on camera to post up here. OK off to "start' the day......

Monday, August 13, 2007

At YOUR request

Recently I have had many request from non-DC residents who are curious (or just want to laugh) at my growing belly). So here are two photos taken super late last night of myself and my Uncle Bennett posing as twins - guess which one is me ;).

Too bad I couldn't get a shot of MBB kicking his/her way to soccer stardom!





Friday, August 10, 2007

Now that is one boring email!



Disclaimer: For those of you who may notice the time on this post, MBB and I (well my dysfunctional body that is) have decided that 4am seems to be the new time to wake up each day with a nap allowed at about 6am for an hour or so. So I disclaim any part of this point that may not make 100% of sense!



This weeks baby email update email brought a really boring update of a Ken doll. So boring in fact that I didn't even feel like it was worth posting - I was pretty disappointed that was the best American Baby.com came up with. But yesterday I had my 32 week Birth Center appt. so now I feel like I have enough reporting to make it interesting to everyone (however note the disclaimer above as this post may only be interesting to me!). So:




  • According to American Baby.com MBB is between 11.75 and 19 inches, according to Baby Center.com MBB is 17 inches - both of these statistics are from top of head to bottom of feet. - HOWEVER we now have actual information on the head to "rump" as it is called length of MBB - measuring in yesterday at her/his appt. at: 12.60 inches (or 32 cm)! With the addition of legs (which the head to rump measuring does not count but the baby emails do) MBB fits in perfectly with what we are expecting and is moving right along with proper growth. Grow MBB grow!
  • We also know that MBB's head is facing down - the correct direction for this stage in the game as well you you can tell from the time of this post about MBB ability to move and shake.
  • Back to information from emails, MBB should be about 4lbs gaining about a 1/2 a pound a week for the next seven weeks.

I am not sure if I have mentioned it before in this blog, but the DC Birth Center holds 2 hour group sessions after each 2 week appointment to help train us new (and some old!) mom's on how to take care of ourselves while pregnant and our baby once it is born. Yesterday's session was all about Breastfeeding (past ones have been on nutrition, prenatal yoga and back pain), which is quite timely given the article that many many people sent me yesterday on Five breast-feeding mistakes new moms make, and how to fix them which cites the main reasons women fail at breastfeeding as not having enough support.

In the past I know that I have touted the amazing qualities of midwives, but to also share an additional reason I have chosen the amazing care at the DC Birth Center - they have 24 hours 7 day a week on call breastfeeding peer counselors. These are women who have breastfed themselves, been trained to help other women and are on call, in case you missed it, 24 hours a day 7 days a week - with home visits whenever needed! They call every day your first week and then once a week for your first few months to check in on you and see if there is anything they can do. Talk about support! For the long road that led me to the DC Birth center I feel very lucky to be there each time I find out new services and support they offer new moms.

Yesterday we also had another new mom come into the class to tell us her "birth story". These have been so incredibly valuable as they are each different and point to the "anything can happen" theory of labor. Last sessions mom had her baby 2 weeks early, at the birth center, with minimal labor and went home after 4 hours. This mom had her baby 1 week late, at the hospital with medial intervention (and midwives!) and was there for two days. I have to say - both babies were equally as cute :)

In case you were wondering how this whole - birthing at the birth center v/s the hospital thing really shakes out, we got the full scoop yesterday:

  • Birthing at the birth center: MBB must be between 37 and 42 weeks with all signs pointing to normal (heart rate, amniotic fluid, etc.).
  • Birthing at the hospital: If MBB comes early (before 37 weeks) or has to be induced (after 42 weeks) or there are any "complications" then off to the hospital with midwives in tow it is. If we do end up at the hospital it will be Washington Hospital Center - close to the Birth Center, excellent care and reputation with full privileges to the midwives.

I think that is all my tired brain can push out right now so off to try and nap a bit it is!