Week 27: Progress

Things have been moving along well this week and are slowly getting accomplished. I’m glad, too, of course because my to-do list, while seemingly manageable, is still fairly lengthy so getting on to the last trimester, I sort of want to start knocking the important things off that list, STAT.

We finally ordered a crib – hallelujah! Ironically, it’s the first crib we ever looked at. Despite all my gnashing of teeth over trying to find the “perfect” crib we have simply returned to the first one which is “good enough”. It arrives next Tuesday and we still have to order a mattress but at least we’re making progress. Now it’s on to finding a glider rocker which is an even more frustrating task (there just isn’t a white glider that isn’t either $1200 or totally ugly). Ah, the frustrations of trying to create a fabulous nursery.

Speaking of which, it’s almost done. Johann’s basically got the décor finished save for a few details and once we can get the last pieces of furniture ordered and assembled we’re golden. We still need our changing pad for the changing table and then we’re set and ready to photograph for “Baby Nursery Beautiful” or whatever publication can appreciate Johann’s brilliance. We’re set, that is, with the nursery, mind you. We still need diapers and clothes and blankets and wipes and lotion and towels and, well, pretty much everything else for a baby!

I went to my first “official” third trimester doctor’s appointment yesterday although I’m not technically in the third trimester until this time next week. I also, technically, didn’t meet with the doctor, I met with the extremely informative ARNP for a highly productive Q&A session and general check of my health and baby’s. They drew my blood for the glucose test yesterday (crossed fingers) as well as for Rh negativity (which I’m Rh positive so that’s not an issue) and anemia. Apparently, I was borderline for anemia when they did my blood draw back in the first trimester so I may dip below the line and need an iron supplement. Apparently, this is pretty common in pregnancy so I’m not going to take it as a sign to worry –just a sign to eat more spinach and an excuse to get big, juicy hamburgers more frequently. :)

Overall, I’m doing well and so is baby. The nurse felt around my belly and found the baby’s head. I’m still al little astounded that baby is the size that it is. I’m used to it being so small but it’s really got some size in there – almost 2 lbs. She also monitored the heartbeat which was 144 BPM. Apply old wives tales as you may in terms of gender determination from that but I’ve found that in all the shows I’ve watched where people predict the gender from the heartbeat they’re rarely ever right. Ha ha.

In general, the nurse says the baby is doing great and that always makes me happy to hear. We also went over a lot of things that come up in the third trimester including signs of premature labor and appointments to get prepared for, like going over our birth plan with our doctor at 36 weeks. It was great to have her to ask questions to and get information on resources like a list of pediatricians (which we have to choose before baby is born) and a lactation specialist so I have someone to call in case I need help breastfeeding. It’s also nice that they address these things proactively and I don’t have to figure out at what point it’s appropriate to ask about them. It’s comforting to know they have a whole structure in place to help us first time moms through this rather confusing process more smoothly.

My blood pressure popped up a bit from last time – 120/82. That top number wasn’t concerning but I guess the bottom one was since I’m usually in the 100/70 range. I also totally felt overheated and even a little queasy yesterday from the summer heat so I’d say my numbers might be skewed from that. We’ll see what I look like next week when I go back to see my actual doctor. Also, my weight gain is starting to slow and the nurse, who likes to get on me about these things, didn’t even mention weight. So, if I can get past the doctor next week (and past the glucose test, of course!) maybe I don’t have to deal with any diet issues. Bad girl, I know, but unless I’m just getting crazy obese, I just don’t want to hear about getting a little fat, you know? We pregnant ladies are a bit sensitive about these things. :P

Our birthing classes start at the hospital on Monday and then I’m back at the doctor on Tuesday. My appointments thereafter will be every two weeks so I’ll be at the hospital complex once to twice a week for the next six weeks. This would, of course, be part of my strategy of picking a hospital/doctor that’s five minutes away from the house. That and the hopes for one of those super fast labors that you have to screech into the hospital just in time for. Ha ha. The odds of that seem pretty slim at best but hey, a girl can dream, right?

Well, farewell to Trimester 2 and hello to Trimester 3. It’s wild that baby will be here in only 13 weeks. I’m pretty dang excited, though. :)

J.