NST/AFI update

And so we had our NST/AFI testing done yesterday. Things are looking good. Still some off and on contraction but the baby is looking good. Still a boy according to the ultrasound and has HAIR! We got a pic of his little head of hair :)

Biggest concern right now, other than keeping preterm labor at bay, is that Baby is breech. Our local hospital doesnt allow natural breech births and so I am trying to figure out ways to encourage my little guy to get himself turned around. Want to try some natural ways to get him to turn before we try an external inversion.

And so, more bedrest, keep this little guy baking in the oven a little longer and kee getting ready for him....

34 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well.

If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond).

Baby Update~

Today we had our first weekly NST and AFI test. These tests are helping us know that despite the ongoing contractions that baby Allen is doing well.

NST showed a few contractions, but nothing major and it showed that Allen is doing really well despite them. The AFI test was very reassuring. Still plenty of amniootic fluid at levels expected for where we are.

When they did the AFI of course we got another look at Allen. We got to see his little heart and watch it beat. Also got another look at his little face and all the little body parts. How amazing technology is that we can SEE our babies before they get here

So Where Does Baby's Name Come From?

Baby's Daddy wrote this~ it is how we came up with the name for our baby boy.

Allen John Dale Bernal

So Where Does Baby's Name Come From?
From three of Daddy and Mommy's closest friends:

Allen – comes from Hudson Allen vonBrandt - "Allen" one of Baby's Daddy's best friends, husband of Laura and father of Christopher and Richard, succumbed to Leukemia on Oct 16, 2001 after a valiant fight, and after battling Hodgkin's disease and triumphing a few years earlier. He Loved his family, friends, stock car racing, and driving trucks. He worked in the Sierra Pacific mill until the Hodgkin's disease made mill work unbearable, and after treatment enabled him to continue working he transferred to the truck shop and volunteered his own time to practice driving truck, spending many enjoyable hours learning to haul logs with Baby's Daddy before starting out on his own truck. He applied to CDC with Baby's Daddy hoping to attend the academy together, but the onset of Leukemia took him from us a short time later. Rest well my friend, We love you!

John – comes from John J. Jackalone – "Uncle J.J." to Mommy and the kids, "Pop" to Daddy, there for you at the drop of a hat no matter what you might need. Loving husband to Sheran, we lost "Aunt Sheran" to cancer in 2007. Pop knows what 'family' is all about – he even went so far as to buy a second stock car so Baby's Daddy would come back out and race with him.

Dale – comes from Dale L. Webb – "Bubba" to Baby's Daddy, "Dale" to everyone else. Loving husband of Bobbie, father of "Bubba"(Dale Jr.) and "Robin", one of Daddy's best friends for many years. Dale and Baby's Daddy worked many jobs together, and swapped paint at the race track on many weekends. People have many times accused Dale and Baby's Daddy of taking turns letting each other win, not realizing that they would rather wreck each other than to let the other win – and after the Checkered flag flew it was off to the coffee shop to tease each other and relive the night lap by lap.
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A little note extra from me~ I have always believed that in naming a baby we are bestowing upon them personal characteristics of the name. Be it in the meaning of the name or from the person we are naming them after.

Each of these men we are naming our son after have a strength of heart that is just amazing. If our son could just have half of the heart that these 3 men have I will have a son to be extremely proud of.

I have so much more to say about each of them. But for tonight that is enough...

Baby Allen Update:

Well as most of you know I have been in the hospital with preterm labor for the last 3 days. Allen is doing good and hopefully will stay put for a few more weeks. I am on bedrest until it safe for delivery and have to have weekly non-stress tets and AFI (amniotic fluid levels) by ultrasound for 3 weeks. Once we get past 3 weeks, then we will see where we are and if they will let him come or still hold off, depending on how he his doing.

Allen looked so great in the ultrasound. It was totally cool to see him there on the screen. Totally amazing. I can't wait for his arrival. Well, after the last few days, yes I can wait. But I am eager for it to be time for him to be here. Hold him, love on him, snuggle on him.

So off to put my feet up for a while... get some rest and keep my little guy nice and safe inside for a few more weeks.

Childbirth Class Update

I learned a great general visualization thing today in my childbirth class.

You sit or laydown in a comfortable position do a few deep breathing things and sort of relax as best you can for a few minutes. Then you imagine a golden light coming out of your heart. You watch the golden light come out of your heart and you gently wrap it around you and your baby. It is a meditation that can be done before birth and then after the baby is born for bonding.

The way you do the visualization, my instructor called it a mummy wrap. You visualize a white or golden light coming out of your heart, make the light a ribbon type light, You start wrapping this heart light around you, like a mummy would be wrapped. As you move from the top of your head down, as you reach your baby, you want to take a moment and wrap a few extra layers around baby, to bring baby closer to you with your heart light. You continue the wrapping until you get to the bottom of your feet. Once you reach the bottom of your feet with the ribbon of heart light bring it back up, still wrapping until you reach the top of your head. Again pay special attention when you reach the baby, bringing the baby close to you with your heart light ribbon, protecting the baby with your heart light ribbon. As you finish the wrap, lay back and just feel your heart light enveloping you and your baby together. Then slowly feel the ribbon slip off of the both of you and notice how you and your baby still feel so close together. Enjoy the feeling of closeness with the baby until you are ready to come back to the world around you.

This meditation was so amazing. I could not believe just how close it made me feel to my baby. Really an awesome experience.

We also discussed the list of positive words that I am to go over and chose two or three to be the "breath" words. "Breath" words are the words you chose to say with each breath, when you are in the early stages of labor and it is better to be distracted than to be focusing on the contractions.

So the idea is, early contractions begin, you breath through them. You have picked a word or a couple of words that you mentally repeat with each breath in and then again with each breath out. The word is suppose to be something positive. The instructor said, having talked to me that she would suggest a calming word. Since I tend to be a bit high strung that if I chose a word that is more energetic, I could create some tensions from the anticipation.

So my words will be Gentle, Easy, and Mellow. What is neat is this is something I can do right now. So that by the time labor actually begins in 5 to 8 weeks I will have already established the habit of doing it and it will be as natural as... well breathing.

Hard to believe that in just 33 days we have hit the "safe" zone and baby's delivery will be considered immenent.

Baby Belly

Because my doctor is going on vacation I will be seeing a different doctor this week. My normal time/day wasn't available with the other doctor so I won't be posting a doctor update until Wednesday afternoon. I do have my childbirth class on Monday and if it has any info to pass on I will post it.

I got a picture of my baby belly the other day. I feel HUGE and thinking there is another 8 weeks to go? I am going to be gigantic! Anyway, thought I would share the pic.

Diaper Fairy

Today, the diaper fairy stopped by my house... Well a friend of mine made a delivery from the diaper fairy. I was excited at the gifts the diaper fairy sent. Totally AWESOME! If he reads this-
THANK-YOU!

Here is a pic of the stuff he sent:

MY FAVORITE THING! The bunting is so darling! It is going in the diaperbag to be put on Allen over his coming home outfit.



Here is a pic of the stuff my friend in Tennesse sent for Allen. Lots of cute little things.

32 Weeks

32 Weeks - Pregnancy

Baby

Your baby is almost 4 pounds now, and measures about 17 inches long. She is starting to fit her home really well, soon to run out of space in there. Don’t worry; she’ll find a way to fit, maybe even into your ribs. Since she is growing larger, you may start to feel a decrease in movement as she runs out of room to do somersaults.

Your baby’s organs are all functioning well, with the exception of the lungs. Her lungs are growing stronger every day, but it will be a few more weeks until they are fully developed.

Her five senses of sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell are now well developed, and she is practicing using these right now. She is even dreaming; as studies show that babies have periods of REM sleep in a dream state starting at about 8 months in utero. Maybe she’s dreaming of your voice.

Mom

At week 32, you can’t believe that your belly can grow any more, but it can! You will gain about ½ a pound every week until you deliver. Most of that goes right to baby’s weight though. Have you gotten any stretch marks yet? These often dreaded breaks in your skin’s dermis usually show up by this week, if you’re going to get them. What determines if you get stretch marks? Obviously, rapid weight gain causes stretch marks, but the number one reason for getting stretch marks is genetics. If you are genetically inclined to getting stretch marks, you will probably get them.

Heartburn and breathlessness are probably really bothering you now, as your uterus is pushing against your diaphragm and stomach. Try sleeping propped up if you are having this problem. Maybe adding an extra pillow under your upper back while you sleep will help. Soon, your baby may drop into your pelvis in preparation for labor, although some babies never “drop”. These are the babies that have to be coaxed out slowly when it’s time for their delivery day.

Doctor Update

Baby Update! Baby's heart rate was 140, he kicked at the doppler today and made a nice LOUD noise for doc. He is sitting really really low. But so far so good, no contractions even with the stress of yesterday.

I gained 3 pounds since last week! YAY!!! I am so happy with knowing that once more I am gaining and gaining good healthy weight. Measurements are right on target so we are going in the right direction for a nice healthy full term baby.

Blood sugar levels were slightly elevated, but not bad. So the diet is working. Otherwise all the other tests looked good and iron levels were back up where they want them.

Since my regular doc is going on vacation I have to see one of the other doctors for a couple of visits. Which isn't a bad thing since it is probable that one of the other docs could be the one who actually delivers my little guy.

Doc has no problem with my birth plan and when he gets back from vacation we will put it in my file just incase another doctor actually does the delivery. 31 weeks 2 days according to his chart, so 8 weeks 5 days for 40 weeks and 40 days for what is considered "full term". His arrival is getting close...

Natural ChildBirth Class

I had my first appointment with my birthing coach. It was so amazing! Over the next 4weeks I will have my follow up appointments and learn the techniques that will help this baby's delivery be truly joyful and amazing event. Since there were some logisitc issues with getting to the classes I wanted to take, I am doing on online class. The birth coach is on webcam and we use a chat applet to talk. Times sure have changed since the birth of my oldest!

We talked today about my expectations for this birth, my past birth experiences, fears I have about the birth and between this week and my fourth visit with the birthing coach, she will develop an audio that will be specifically designed to address all of the things I want to experience and at the same time calm any fears that I might have over the birth.

This is so exciting for me and really brought home just how close we are to having little Allen here with us.

Because one of my fears is going into labor too early, as I have with my others, we worked on some meditation things that I can do twice a day to help with that. Although it brings no gaurantees that I wont experience preterm labor, the labor coach says that it can reduce the likelyhood of it.

I loved the one visualization/meditation that she taught me today. After basic relaxation is achieved, you start by saying "My body knows exactly when it is time for my baby to arrive." Then you picture a calendar and fix on a date on it for a "safe" delivery date. You tell yourself "My body will be a safe place for my baby to live until after December 13th." Again you picture the calendar, then you see yourself draw a red circle around the date. Then, so as to not to feel as if you are forcing that as a due date you say "Any day after December 13th is a good time for my baby to make his arrival. I trust my body to know exactly when the right time for my baby to come into this world is." Then you visualize putting X's or arrows from the date that is "safe" to the baby's actual due date.

This really gave me a feeling of empowerment over preventing preterm labor. It also quickly reduced the anxiety I had experienced over thinking it might happen. I had been rather low level anxiety because I have gone so long with out any real contractions. I had the one day where I had some, but it subsided really quickly and since then I haven't had any.

Being 31 weeks and knowing in just 6 weeks we are totally in the safe zone... I am really feeling positive that I will experience no preterm labor or preterm delivery. A nice uncomplicated last 9 weeks of pregnancy....

Now I wait for my next doctors appointment, share my birth plan with him, and hope that he has no issues with it :) My appointment day with him has been changed, so I won't have a doctor appointment update for a couple of more days instead of tomorrow...

31 Weeks

You are 31 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

At this point you may be quite eager for your pregnancy to end and your baby to be born. Aches and pains, along with feelings of anxiety, may increase at this time. Some women may become frightened by their own lack of maternal feelings. This is a common and natural emotion that many pregnant women experience. For some women, bonding won't occur until birth -- or even later. The final weeks may begin to drag.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Visually, your baby may track moving objects with the eyes. When he or she blinks, the eye's iris responds to light and dark. The lungs and digestive track are nearly mature, although the last few weeks in-utero are still important for lung development. Your baby is now around 14-1/2 inches head-to-toe, and weighs nearly three pounds, five ounces.

EATING FOR TWO

Here are some quickie dessert ideas which will fulfill cravings but won't fill you out:


Enjoy an occasional full-fat, fruit yogurt. It tastes absolutely divine -- and it can be more satisfying and healthy than ice cream.
Make oatmeal cookies and sneak a tablespoon or two of Brewer's yeast into the recipe.
Freeze all-natural fruit juice pops to satisfy sudden cravings for sweets.
Put some grapes into the freezer. They make a yummy, healthy snack that is good for you.
Reduce the amount of sugar in recipes by substituting concentrated fruit juices and reducing the amount of other liquids added.
Invest in a juicer. You'll be amazed at how sweet carrot juice can be!

FACT OF THE WEEK

Breastfeeding is best, and it can be especially important to babies born prematurely. The breastmilk produced by mothers of premature infants has an extra-high concentration of sodium, chloride and protein. These small babies more easily digest their mother's milk than breastmilk from a full-term mother or formula. Studies show that when women who have had full-term babies donate their breastmilk to the Intensive Care Unit, the babies do less well than when the natural mother's breastmilk is used. Because premature infants fed formula are more susceptible to infection, and cannot benefit from the mother's antibodies, it is recommended that all mothers strongly consider breastfeeding their premature infants.