A Poetry Journey

Tag: Parenting

  • Week 37

    The weeks keep rolling on towards the birth and it seems like each week is starting to get tougher.  We were cruising right along until about Week 34 to Week 35 and then it all just seemed to change overnight.

    This week we went to the doctor twice – once for another growth ultra sound and then just a routine check up.  Both turned out great – baby to be and mom to be are both healthy.

    Mom to be is now working from home and keeping her feet up while she battles swelling.  Epsom salt baths, elevation, and walking to get out the stiffness seem to be helping.  I don’t think there is much that can be done about the swelling.  It is a part of it.

    Any mothers reading this that can offer help or advice – please leave us some information on what helped you get through your later stages of pregnancy.

    On another side of things – not baby related, but happening this week.  We decided to do some remodeling on our kitchen, purely by accident.

    We’ve had a leaky faucet for a while and the only way to fix the leak was to turn the handle to the left.  This was eventually going to catch up with us and on Wednesday it did.  The handle broke on the faucet and we were forced to use pliers to turn the water on and off.  I went out and bought a new faucet that evening and then waited till Thursday to install it.  I called in my father in law who is really good at installing this stuff.  I’m not a great handy man, but I am getting better at it.

    Anyway.  Thursday arrived and me and my father in law went to work on the faucet.  We did all we were supposed to do in order for it to lift right off so we could install the new one.  For some reason it was hung up.  After some careful searching we found the culprit.

    There was a nut holding the faucet to the sink that was impossible to get to because it looked like this nut was screwed in before the sink was installed.  So we undid the bolts holding the sink in place and pulled the whole sink out of the counter.  We unscrewed the nut, replaced the faucet, and put the sink back in its hole.  Done, easy enough – right!

    Wrong.

    We decided to go ahead and put in a new sink because this one we currently had was old and well used and we wanted a deeper sink for the kitchen.  My father in law ran down to Lowe’s to find us a new sink.

    Okay, so new sink, put the faucet on, fix everything in place – done, right?  Wrong again.

    From this point forward it just went downhill.  The pipes didn’t fit back in place because the drainage areas on the sink were further back than they were in the old sink.  The sink was also deeper so that caused issues.  The water lines were to short to reach the new sink.  The list just went on.

    When Thursday ended we had our sink in, but nothing was hooked up.  We got water from the bathroom and drank bottled water until Friday.

    On Friday my father in law came back and he took out all the old plumbing under the sink and re built it himself so it would fit the new sink.   New water lines were put in place which were longer and we now have everything back to the way it was.  I want to give a special thinks to my father in law for taking the time to do this.  He really impressed me with all he knows about home repair.  I would have been lost without him.

    It is funny that this year it seems like I have gotten a crash course in what it takes to be a parent and a dad from both sets of parents – mine and my wife’s.   Knowledge that will help me become a well-rounded father.

    Here’s a video to give you an idea of what our house looked like before and after the kitchen sink remodel.

    Okay, Week 37.

    Your Baby

    Huge news this week: You’re carrying a full-term baby! If you were to go into labor today, all systems would be a go. Woohoo! Even though you can’t wait for the little bambino to quite literally rear his head, keep in mind that your bun benefits from every day in the oven. Other ticker-tape-worthy developments:

    Baby’s growth slows down dramatically this week, which is great news for your birth canal. His bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after he’s born. More great news for your birth canal.

    So if he’s all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is he still doing in there?! He’s busy practicing for “life on the outside,” working on his breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing he can’t practice yet is his ability to scream at the top of his lungs when he’s hungry—but he’ll do plenty of that in a few weeks.

    At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds. About the size of an average largemouth bass caught in Minnesota by your cousin Earl.

    via 37 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    That’s it.

  • Week 36

    Your Baby

    Your baby continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help your baby regulate his body temperature after leaving your climate-controlled womb. In fact, your baby will be 15 percent fat at birth (and you … well that’s another story). Even in the womb, your baby can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating him from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. Other highlights this week:

    His gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though his actual pearly whites won’t start breaking through until he’s between three months and a year old.

    Your baby has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Your baby will become alert and turn his head toward light and sound just as a newborn would—except when you put on that Celine Dion CD. Then the baby puts his hands up, turns away and gurgles, “Oh no you didn’t!”

    Your baby is now around 18½ inches long and nearly 6 pounds—just about as big as a breadbox!

    via 36 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Another pretty tough week, but we got through it.

    We’ve learned of a new glucose test this week, the two-hour one.  Mom to be has had the one hour test, the three-hour test, and now the two-hour test.  What is the two-hour test you may ask?  Basically mom to be fasts from midnight until her appointment.  Then she goes to the lab and has her blood drawn.  We then go home and mom to be has what she normally has for breakfast.  When she takes that last bite of breakfast the clock starts ticking.  Two hours from the last bite we must be back at the lab in order for mom to be to get more blood drawn (no results as of today – Thursday).  So mom to be has now been through all three glucose tests and handled them like a star.  I am proud of her.

    Mom to be is experiencing swelling in her legs so any mothers out there who have advice on how to correct it, we would be more than happy to listen to it.  Epsom Salt baths and cucumber water has helped so far, but nothing beats staying home and resting.  When mom to be has the time to just rest with her feet elevated her legs seem to respond well to that.

    I guess that is it for this week.

  • Week 35

    Long week – two words put together never meant so much.

    First off.  We started off the week one car short.  I had to take mom to be to work each morning while we waited to get her car fixed.  By Friday the car should be fixed (I am writing this as of Thursday).

    Then when we went to the doctor for mom to be’s checkup we were told on Tuesday that we needed to come back by Thursday in order to get a growth ultra-sound.  Mom to be was retaining a lot of water so they wanted to make sure baby to be was okay.  So from Tuesday till Thursday we were in a holding pattern and waiting to see why she was retaining so much water.  The mid-wife also put mom to be on bed rest for a couple of days to see if that would help.  It did and after our second checkup we learned that everything was pretty much okay, for now.  Baby to be is a big one – they weighed him at about seven and a half pounds (of course ultra-sounds are not always accurate, he could be this weight or smaller).  That’s at 35 weeks which I am finding out (being a man we don’t know these things) is big for a baby at this stage in the pregnancy.  Another check up next week, and another day of bed rest for mom to be on Friday.

    Tonight (Thursday) we are scheduled for a tour of the hospital so we can get a feel for everything we may need the day of the birth.  That should help a lot.

    Then on Saturday and Sunday we have what they are calling intensive child-birth classes.  Saturday goes from 9-4 and Sunday 9-1.

    That’s it so far.  We are hoping and praying all goes well for the rest of the pregnancy.

    As of writing the information above I have since been to the Birthing Center and the first day of the intensive child-birth classes.  

    First off, the birthing center is super nice.  The rooms are almost like hotel rooms with beds that can be contorted to fit any kind of pregnancy position, just so mom to be can deliver as comfortable as possible.  They have all the amenities there as well, including a birthing ball, birthing tub, a refrigerator in the room for cold snacks, and various other things that will help with the before and after birthing process.  

    The first day of intensive child-birth classes went off exceptionally well with a lot of useful information for dad and mom to be.  We thought we were well versed, but we learned even more stuff on Saturday.  On Sunday we will be there for a shorter period.  So the day won’t be so tough.  Mom to be is currently resting as I write this after Saturday’s session.  

    I’ve included two things this week from the 3D pregnancy website.  The first is what mom to be’s body is going through – Your Body and the second is all about baby to be – Your Baby.  I thought this might give you a little more insight into what is going on with mom and baby to be.

    35 Weeks Pregnant

    Your Body

    As Patrick Swayze put it, “Nobody puts baby in a corner!” Doubly true for your little tenant. Your baby has pretty much taken over your entire torso by now. Over the past few months, he’s squished and mushed all of your organs out of the way. Any day now, he’ll make a final move and shove your heart up and to the left to make more room for himself. (See, he’s got your heart in his hands already.)

    Before all this pregnancy stuff, your uterus was a small ball the size of your fist and was tucked neatly away behind your pelvis. Today your uterus is the size of a small watermelon and reaches all the way up to your ribs.

    At this point in your pregnancy all the blood has gone to your belly … literally. Nearly 1/6 of your body’s total blood volume is chugging around in the vessels in your uterus. So that’s why you feel so lightheaded all the time!

    Starting this week you’ll visit your OB or midwife weekly. Every time you go you’ll probably beg her to tell you when she thinks your babe is coming. Unfortunately, her guess is about as good as yours. Even if you’re dilated, there’s no telling exactly when baby will make his appearance (unless you have a scheduled C-section, of course.)

    Your Baby

    This week the final touches are being added to your mini-masterpiece and most of his development is going to packing on the pounds. While baby’s movements may be becoming less jerky, he may do his final somersault in the womb soon—to put himself into the head-down position for birth. Other fascinating facts:

    Your little Karate Kid can’t quite pack the punch he used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. You’re likely to feel more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat your baby is adding will create those cute dimples on your baby’s elbows and knees. His liver has begun processing his waste products, so you know which organ to thank when he has his first blowout up the back of his onesie.

    Baby’s nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of his tiny fingers and toes before he sees a pair of clippers. He’ll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once he’s born (as will you).

    Your baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

    via 35 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    Your thoughts.

  • Week 34

    Babymoon 2

    It has been nice getting away for a few days.  We’ve been fortunate enough to be able to have not only one, but two Babymoons this year.

    The first one was at the beach and though it was relaxing, it wasn’t anything compared to what we have been experiencing in the mountains this week – colder weather or cooler weather I should say.  We haven’t had the air conditioning on at all since we got here.  The windows stay open all the time.  I can even sit on the deck in the afternoon and not die of a heat stroke.  Right now (Wednesday morning) I am sitting out on the deck in long pants, socks, and a tee-shirt.  Folks, I might just need to go grab a long sleeve until the sun comes up.  With the breeze it is down right chilly – fall like.

    How has the trip been?  Mom to be has done a lot of relaxing, including a pedicure.  I am so happy to see that.  She needs it.  Baby to be seems to be enjoying the weather as well.  He’s been very active this week.  Two more full days left after today and then back to the heat of home.  Maybe the hot spell will have broken just a bit before we get back.

    We didn’t go to the West Virginia mountains, just the Carolina ones.  This song seemed to fit the moment though.

    +++

    (replace the she for he) Your baby kind of looks like she’s coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she’s born you’ll probably see some vernix lingering in her “hard-to-reach” places like under her arms, behind her ears and around her va-jay-jay, if she’s a she.. Other news from the womb this week:

    The soft fur, lanugo, that covered your baby’s body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Your baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first.

    This week, your baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll (!) and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar, minus the cup you put in your decaf this morning.

    via 34 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Yes my wife is pregnant, quit asking!

    There is a trend that I am starting to notice when my wife (who is now 8 months pregnant) is out in public.   People always stop and comment on her belly.  Complete strangers just walk up and start talking to her about it.  I understand the curiosity factor, but people need to lay off.  I don’t mind family or friends saying things – don’t get me wrong there.  They are close to us and they know us, so we know how we are with each other.

    I just can’t believe how rude complete strangers can be to her.  I don’t think they mean to, but would you walk up to an obese person and comment on their belly?  Of course not.  So why is it okay to comment on my wife’s belly?  I just don’t get it.

    I don’t mind if someone comes up and asks if it is a boy or a girl, when is he due, etc.  Just don’t talk about how big she is or how big your daughter wasn’t when she was 8 months along or how huge she is for 8 months.  Use common sense and be courteous to her.

    Recently, some random stranger just walked up and asked about her belly.  He didn’t say hello, didn’t say congratulations first.  He just went into some diatribe about how big she is and how she must be due soon.  It made her very uncomfortable.  I know he meant well and that his heart was in the right place, but take a clue.  Just leave her alone.

    I guess the human animal has a certain curiosity about pregnant bellies.  I see people all the time looking at her with a little half-smile and I wonder what they are thinking.

    We did have a cute moment in the park a few days ago.  A little girl walked by and pointed at my wife’s belly.  Her mom was embarrassed and explained to her that it is rude to point, and then told her to ask if there is a baby in my wife’s belly.  The little girl asked very sweetly, my wife invited her to touch her belly, and the mom was very thankful and apologetic.  Then the mom explained to the little girl something about a baby inside my wife and they moved on.

    See, that’s the way you do it.  I wish more people would learn the proper etiquette when it comes to approaching a pregnant woman.