Looky!!

Looky what my sweet friend Susan made for Ainsley! I just love the ripple afghan, it is the perfect size for baby and that gorgeous dress and hat - oh I can't wait to dress her up in this! Thank you so much Susan! You are the best!


And today my dad bought a new mattress for the crib. Now I can finally put all of my pooh set in the crib. Washing it all now and will take pics after its all dressed up.


I also got me a new maternity t-shirt, white with 2 pink hearts on the front, and a new pair of maternity jeans. I only had one pair and they are starting to wear so I thought it would be good to get something new to wear to my baby shower. Shane's mom is throwing me a small shower down where they live, on Feb 10th. Then I will still have a few days to get the rest of what we need before Ainsley is here on the 21st!

35 Weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds and is just over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

How your life's changing: Your uterus — now up under your ribs — has expanded to about 15 times its original volume, and you may feel like you've run out of room! If you could peek inside your uterus, you'd see that there's much less amniotic fluid and much more baby in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your internal organs too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and have heartburn and other digestive problems. If you don't have these problems, you're one of the lucky few.

Your doctor or midwife will probably want to start seeing you every week until you deliver. She may ask you to count fetal movements, to track your baby's activity level. Between now and 37 weeks, she'll also do a culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). This is done by swabbing the lower end of your vagina and your rectum — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all. Group B streptococcus is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during labor and birth, it can cause complications (like pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection). Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's important to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll be given IV antibiotics when you're in labor, which will reduce your baby's risk of infection by 70 percent.

This is also a good time to fill out your birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who will be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and how long you want to stay in the hospital. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Labor and delivery are unpredictable and you probably won't follow your plan to the letter, but knowing ahead of time what choices you have to make can take some of the anxiety out of the process.

Dr Appt

I seen Dr. Khalil today. My appt was at 1:20 but I am so used to having one at 2 or 2:30 and so I was a bit late. It may have actually been a blessing cause I didn't have to wait long at all.

My BP was 128/80 and my weight once again was the same! I thought for sure this time I would have gained something with all those brownies and diet cokes I have had the past 3 weeks! Nope not one pound! I asked the Dr if the baby was as big as she should be since I haven't gained any weight my entire pregnancy and my belly is not really big like most everyone else this far along. She said I was measuring right on and everything looks great...must be the only positive thing about being overweight LOL. The baby's heartbeat was strong and sounds healthy as always.

She asked how my anxiety was and I told her I feel pretty good on the prozac, no problems. I have heard others say they needed to ween themselves off their meds until after baby was born so I was curious and asked. She said I would not have to stop taking my prozac, being on only 10mg a day it would be best to stay right on it through the birth and after - it could be more harmful to stop taking it.

I told her we have decided to do the scheduled C-section and she said I could do Feb 21st with Dr. Webb (who I have seen before) or the 22nd with Dr. Wolfe (who I have never seen) so I chose the 21st. I will go back to see Dr. Webb on Thursday Feb 1st so he can actually schedule my c-section and give me the time, etc.

I also asked if I would get an epidural and she said most likely it would be a spinal - smaller needle, deeper, and better block of pain. Either one scares the crap out of me since I had a bad experience with my last epidural...but you gotta do what you gotta do I suppose.

So looks like Ainsley will be here Feb 21st!

34 Weeks

Nothing much has changed this week. My hips are hurting and sometimes its hard to walk after I lay on them for a while. My belly is definitely getting bigger now and I look pregnant instead of just fat hehe. I'm excited about my appt on wednesday, I really want to get some more info on the scheduling of my Csection, and to see if I can have another U/S. Baby is moving lots though I can feel that she is really cramped for space. Just 5 more weeks to go now!

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably 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 central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.

How your life's changing: You may be feeling a little fatigued lately, and that's perfectly understandable. Let yourself slow down and save some energy for labor day. If you have to spend a lot of time on your feet, try wearing a maternity belt that supports your abdomen and helps redistribute some of the weight. And if you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, which may cause a temporary (but rapid) drop in your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy when you get up.

Many midwives recommend massaging the perineum (the area around your vagina) to help prevent tearing during childbirth. This is a good time to start, though not everyone is comfortable with this technique and it may not help in every case. You can learn how to do it here.

You may notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly (they might even spread to your thighs and buttocks). This is usually a harmless condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short), but let your practitioner make a diagnosis to be sure. Also be sure to call her if you feel itchy all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem.

Pregnant and Waiting

Pregnant and Waiting
Name:	Nikki Painter
Birthdate:	10-16-76
Current Age:	30
Height:	5'6
Weight before pregnancy:	258
Current Weight:	259
Dad's Name:	Shane Painter
Dad's Birthdate:	03-11-1985
Dad's Age:	21
Dad's Height:	6'0
Dad's Weight before pregnancy:	280
Dad's Current Weight:	290
When did you find out your were pregnant:	June 23, 2006
What was your reaction:	Very Excited and Relieved
Who did you tell first about the pregnancy:	Shane
Date of Conception:	May 18, 2006
Due Date:	March 1, 2007
Was the pregnancy planned:	Yes
How did your parents react:	Happy
How did his parents react:	Happy
Did you go to the doctor yet:	Um yes! LOL
Did you have your first ultrasound:	Yep - had 2
Do you know the sex? Boy or Girl:	Girl
How is the baby's movement:	Shes a kicker!
How is the baby's heartbeat:	Great!
Baby's name:	Ainsley Grace Makenna
Who do you think the baby will look like:	Daddy
Mom to be's favorite foods:	burgers and chicken
Mom to be's latest cravings:	valentine brownies
Mom to be's latest "mom" moment:	Emira refers to the baby as her sister
What was the first change you noticed in your body:	tired
What was the latest change in your body:	belly gets bigger
What is your sleep schedule:	lots of it
What is your work schedule:	none
What is the last thing you bought for the baby:	yarn for baby blanket
What was the last thing you bought for yourself:	yarn for my blanket
Planned birth place:	hostpital
Who will be in the room with you:	Shane
Are you scared:	A little
Are you going to use drugs:	Have to, having a Csection
How do you think you will react:	I'll be sore and tired but happy
How do you think the father will react:	Happy
Have you started birthing classes:	No
What is the nursery theme:	Pooh- Hunny Pots
Are you going to breastfeed? in public:	Yes; If I have to
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33 Weeks

I haven't been as sick as usual this past week, in fact I haven't thrown up in several days! WOoHOo! But my HIPS are aching something awful when I sleep! No matter what side I lay on they hurt and it makes for a really long and tiresome day.

My mom called and said she and my grandma would be coming here for the birth. We still haven't decided on the scheduled C or waiting it out. But she would like to be here that thurs if we decided to do the C - so that puts more pressure on me to make the C decision. Ah what to do?

How your baby's growing:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. His skin is becoming less red and wrinkled, and while most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. This will help him ease out of your relatively narrow birth canal.

How your life's changing: You may be feeling some aches and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can swell, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" end up pinched, creating numbness, tingling, shooting or burning pain, or a dull ache. Try wearing a brace or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or assembly line, for example), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks.

If you're having trouble sleeping at night, try wedging a pillow between your legs and behind your back. If that doesn't help, try sleeping in a semi-upright position, with several pillows behind your head (or sleep in a recliner!). If frequent trips to the bathroom are robbing you of your zz's, cut back on fluids by late afternoon or evening.

32 Weeks

I had my 32 week appt today with Dr. Khalil. Surprisingly my weight was the same, no gain! My blood pressure was 128/80. Baby's hearbeat was good and she said all my tests came back fine including my 1hr glucose.

She asked if I still planned to try a VBAC and I said yes I would like to but was also pondering a scheduled c-section as well due to Shane's job. I explained that I did NOT want to be induced. She said that because I already have had a c-section they would not induce. If I chose to go with a scheduled c it would be one week before my due date, Feb 22nd. If I chose to try to go into labor on my own, I could. But if I reached my due date and my cervix was hard and closed they would then do a c-section. I told her I would think about this and let her know what I wanted to do when I go back in 2 weeks.

She also asked about the baby's movements. I told her they were very often and she was a big kicker! She gave me a chart paper to read over in case I need to do kick counts and if the baby didn't move as much as I thought it should to call them. So far we haven't had a problem, this little bean is a jumper!

So my next appt is Jan 24th.

Here is a 32 week belly photo:


How your baby's growing: By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. She has tiny toenails now, and her fingernails have grown in, too. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz.

How your life's changing: Your blood volume (the plasma plus red blood cells) is now about 40 to 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant to accommodate the needs of you and your baby. (This extra amount also helps make up for any blood you'll lose when giving birth.) You're also gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and adding pressure on your abdomen, you may be dealing with heartburn more often or feeling a little short of breath. To help with shortness of breath, try eating smaller quantities more often (rather than three daily feasts) and sleeping propped up. Those smaller meals should help with the heartburn, too.

As your baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in your growing belly causes a change in your posture and a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are making your ligaments more lax, and your growing uterus may even press on some nerves. All of this can contribute to low back pain and possibly to some pain in your buttocks and thighs as well. Let your caregiver know if you have severe pain or feel numbness or tingling in your legs.