This was originally written on Wednesday, March 05, 2008:

Here is my birth plan, finally! For those who aren't familiar with this concept, during your pregnancy it is important to figure out what you want and don't want during childbirth. Studies have shown that childbirth goes better for women (and their babies) who do this, opposed to those who go into it blindly and just let the doctors direct the experience. Hospital staff prefer to have a hard copy of your birth plan, so Joe & I recently wrote out ours.

For my first trimester I was completely clueless as to what I wanted (just the thought of labor made me cringe, so it wasn't something I wanted to ever think about), but as time went on (and I realized that childbirth was going to happen whether I thought about it or not) and the more research I did, the easier it was to figure out my ideal scenerio.

Note that last part--because that's what a birth plan is--your ideal, not necessarily what is going to end up happening. It is important for women to not get caught up in "this is how it has to be"--it is not a success/fail type of situation. You have not failed if you find that life doesn't allow you to follow your birth plan. A person with the opposite birth experience is not more of a success. You're there to deliver a baby, not to stress yourself out with curve balls that might be thrown at you. You can't predict every possible scenerio, nor can you know what you're going to do in every situation. No matter what your story ends up being, it will be special to you and unique. At the end of the day all that matters is that your baby is safe, and once you bring them home you won't think or care about your labor!

Since being pregnant, I've heard a hundred stories, but not one is similar to someone else's. So there's obviously no way of me knowing exactly what my experience will be like. My particular labor is not something I can completely prepare for, but having a birth plan gives me a goal to shoot for, a path to try and follow, and something to focus on while I'm in the moment. For a lot of women, it does end up going as planned, so I hope that things go smoothly and that it can be that way for me. Either way, I've learned some great tips that can work throughout motherhood and life.

It all started when a friend of mine from high school and college had her first child in 2005. I was in awe that she not only had a completely natural vaginal childbirth (no medication, no epidural) but that she said the labor wasn't bad at all. How could that be possible? My entire life all I've heard is how bad the pain is; on TV women are screaming during the birth, etc. But she had nothing negative to say about the experience. I thought she must be a rare exception.

Her next child was born in 2007 the same way--just a day after I found out I was pregnant. When I revealed my news to her a few weeks later, she recommended the book HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method by Marie F. Mongan, M.Ed., M.Hy. She insisted that she wasn't "lucky" or "special," but that this method could work for anyone.I was definitely interested in giving it a shot. My worst fear since I was a little girl is being paralyzed. The thought of having an epidural stuck into my spine and not being able to feel from my waist down is scarier to me than any pain! (And, although very slim, there is a chance of error that could lead to permanent paralysis.)

Plus, it is no secret that epidurals slow down labor (the purpose of contractions are to push the baby out--when a woman can't feel "down there," she misses a lot of cues and her cervix may stop dilating and the baby may stop moving), so labor is often dragged out/longer for women with an epidural, which means more need for pitocin (because epidurals completely cut off the flow of natural oxytocin)--but pitocin causes more pain than the natural oxytocin (what causes contractions). . .thus, a cycle.

There is also an increased likelihood of bladder catheterization, internal monitoring, and operative (i.e. forceps, episiotomy, cesarean) delivery.

According to the internet, other reported side effects include:

Dural puncture
Hypotension (29%)
Nausea, vomiting, shivering (frequent)
Uneven, incomplete or nonexsistent pain relief
Feelings of emotional detachment
Respiratory insufficiency or paralysis
Convulsions
Toxic drug reactions
Slight to severe headache
Septic meningitis
Allergic shock
Cardiac arrest
Maternal death

Long term for the mother:

Neurological complications
Backache (weeks to years)
Postpartum feelings of regret, loss of autonomy
Fecal and urinary incontinence or bladder dysfunction (inability to urinate)
Paresthesia ("pins and needles")
Loss of perineal sensation and sexual function

For the baby:

Direct drug toxicity
Fetal distress, abnormal FHR (can lead to emergency cesarean)
Drownsiness at birth, poor sucking reflex
Maternal fever (impeded thermoregulation from numb skin) leads to fetal hyperthermia and neonatal
NICU workup (spinal tap, etc.)
Poor muscle strength and tone in the first hours
Neonatal jaundice
Decreased maternal-infant bonding, behavioral problems
Hyperactivity up to seven years

Economic:

Increased costs (all epidural patients)

After hearing stories from women I know who did experience plenty of these, it just seemed that in a world where you can't avoid many negative things, I might as well avoid what I can--i.e. the epidural. Especially since another "ideal" for me is to not have a C-section, and as stated above, they've been linked to epidurals.

A Cesarean section, or C-section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. It is a major abdominal surgery, so it is riskier than a vaginal delivery. Moms who have C-sections are more likely to have an infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots, more postpartum pain, a longer hospital stay, and a significantly longer recovery. Injuries to the bladder or bowel can occur. Also, a mother is not able to hold her child immediately after birth--she has to wait until she has been returned to her post partum room.

This is what my friend Kendra said after her VBAC (when comparing her cesarean and vaginal birth--she, too, had a natural labor without drugs):

Why I Loved my VBAC: The SMALL Stuff!

1. I ate lunch IMMEDIATELY after I delivered my daughter (Isabelle). I believe I was munching on my rib sandwich while I was being stitched.

2. I am able to pick up my toddler daughter with no restrictions.

3. My husband can never complain about getting hit in the genitals again (not like it happens frequently). I have him beat!

4. I have an ongoing excuse for taking long whirlpool baths 2 or 3 times a day.

5. I was able to quickly leave the hospital and get some REAL sleep.

6. I have no numb areas (I was numb around my abdomen for months after my cesarean)

7. People who know nothing about VBACs look at me like I have achieved some unbelievable feat.

8. I can compare vaginal birthing stories AND cesarean birthing stories with other moms. I love being versatile!

9. NO CATHETER!

10. Did I mention: NO CATHETER!?

As Kendra said, after a Cesarean delivery, you'll be dealing with a sore belly for quite a while. C-section patients typically stay three or four days in the hospital (opposed to one or two) before going home.

You'll either get a shot of pain medication every three to four hours or you'll use a system called "patient-controlled analgesia": You push a button when you're feeling discomfort and medication is delivered through your IV.

You may feel groggy and possibly nauseated right after surgery. Nausea can last up to 48 hours. Many moms also feel itchy all over, particularly those who received narcotics in their epidural or spinal.

You may feel numbness and soreness at the incision site, and the scar will be slightly raised, puffy, and darker than your natural skin tone. Sneezing, coughing, and other actions that exert pressure on the abdominal area can be painful at first.

If everything's okay, your doctor will remove your IV and urinary catheter, usually within 12 hours of surgery, and you'll be able to start eating when you feel like it.

You might have some gas pain and bloating during the first two days. Gas tends to build up because the intestines are sluggish after surgery.

In three to four days, your doctor will probably remove your sutures or staples. After that, if all's well, you'll be sent home.

Expect to need help — and lots of it — once you get home. Don't expect to toss your pain medication as soon as you get home. You may need prescription pain killers for up to a week after surgery, gradually transitioning to over-the-counter pain relievers. (If you're breastfeeding, don't take aspirin or drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid.)

Drink plenty of fluid so you don't become constipated. Your incision will continue to be tender for several weeks.

While it's essential to get plenty of rest once you're home, you also need to get up and walk around regularly. Walking promotes healing and helps prevent complications such as blood clots, but don't overdo it. Start slowly and increase your activity gradually. Since you're recovering from major abdominal surgery, your abs will feel sore for some time. Take it easy and avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby for eight weeks.

In six to eight weeks you'll be able to start exercising moderately — but wait until your caregiver gives you the go-ahead. It may be several months before you're back to your former fit self. You'll be able to resume sexual intercourse in four to six weeks if you're feeling comfortable enough, with your caregiver's okay.

I think by now you can see why I don't want a C-section. (Before Joe knew all about it, he thought that concept sounded better.)

Unfortunately, though, sometimes it's clear that a woman will need a Cesarean even before she goes into labor. Conditions that may require a planned C-section include:

• You've had a previous Cesarean with a "classical" vertical uterine incision or more than one previous C-section. (If you've had only one previous C-section with a horizontal incision, you may be a good candidate for a vaginal birth after Cesarean, or VBAC.)

• You've had some other kind of invasive uterine surgery, such as a myomectomy (the surgical removal of fibroids).

• You're carrying more than one baby. (Some twins can be delivered vaginally, but all higher-order multiples require a C-section.)

• Your baby is expected to be very large (a condition known as macrosomia). This is particularly true if you're diabetic or you had a previous baby of the same size or smaller who suffered serious trauma during a vaginal birth.

• Your baby is in a breech (bottom first) or transverse (sideways) position. (In some cases, such as a twin pregnancy in which the first baby is head down but the second baby is breech, the breech baby may be delivered vaginally.)

• You have placenta previa (when the placenta is so low in the uterus that it covers the cervix).

• The baby has a known illness or abnormality that would make a vaginal birth risky.

Conditions that may cause an unplanned Cesarean delivery:

• Your cervix stops dilating or your baby stops moving down the birth canal, and attempts to stimulate contractions to get things moving again haven't worked.

• Your baby's heart rate gives your practitioner cause for concern, and she decides that your baby can't withstand continued labor or induction.

• The umbilical cord slips through your cervix (a prolapsed cord). If that happens, your baby needs to be delivered immediately because a prolapsed cord can cut off his oxygen supply.

• Your placenta starts to separate from your uterine wall (placental abruption), which means your baby won't get enough oxygen unless he's delivered right away.

According to the September issue of Mothering magazine, in 2005 30.2 percent of the nation's births were by Caesarean. That's the highest rate ever recorded. The World Health Organization says that any time a country's Cesarean-section rate rises above 15 percent, the dangers of C-section surgery outweigh the lifesaving benefits it is supposed to provide. But it doesn't seem to matter that, in the U.S.:

1) A woman is five to seven times more likely to die from a Cesarean delivery than from a vaginal delivery.
2) A woman having a repeat C-section is twice as likely to die during delivery
3) Twice as many women require rehospitalization after a C-section than after a vaginal birth
4) Having a C-section means higher rates of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and potentially severe placental problems in future pregnancies.
5) Babies born after an elective Cesarean delivery (when labor has not yet begun) are four times more likely to develop persistent pulmonary hypertension, a potentially life-threatening condition.
6) Between one and two babies of every hundred delivered by C-section will be accidentally cut during the surgery.

So then why so many Caesareans? Doctors are making the decisions based on fear of malpractice suits rather than medical necessity. But biologically, birth is a normal life process that is more likely to go well on its own, with little or no intervention. Women in comas have given birth undetected! Animals give birth easily, without screaming!

Instead of everyone being scared of birth-related morbidity, why aren't women and their doctors concerned of the chemicals that are dripped into their spines and veins--the same substances that have been shown to lead to more C-sections? Why aren't they worried about the harm those drugs might be doing to the future health of their children, as studies are now beginning to indicate is the case? Why aren't they afraid of picking up drug-resistant Staphylococcus infections in the hospital? And why, aren't women terrified of being cut open?

Because we've put more faith into science and technology than in allowing natural processes to carry on. Nature is to be feared, technology to be trusted.

That didn't logically make sense to me. But I knew from my experience with off-the-chart menstrual cramps that not having an epidural might be easier said than done. On the other hand, I've been told that the type of cramps I personally experience when having my period are similar to labor pains, and therefore I might be so used to them that I have a higher tolerance for pain. But imagine this: what if you don't have to suffer horribly without an epidural and can also reduce the need for a C-section? What if you can be 100% present and actually enjoy the experience as pleasant? That's what HypnoBirthing is all about.

On the East and West coasts this method is becoming more and more popular, which means in several years we should all be hearing about it in the Midwest, haha. In places like New Hampshire, where it originated, there are hospitals designed to help pregnant women throughout their pregnancies to prepare for this type of childbirth. For those who aren't that lucky to be able to deliver in a Hypnobirthing hospital, the book does a good job of teaching us the techniques, and there is a CD that comes with it.

Its main message is that we have programmed ourselves with the wrong message. For centuries we've set ourselves up to fear childbirth like none other. But, according to page three of the book, when fear is not present, pain is not present. Fear causes the arteries leading to the uterus to constrict and become tense, creating pain. In the absence of fear, the muscles relax and become pliable, and the cervix is able to naturally thin and open as the body pulsates rhythmically and expels the baby with ease.

Thousands of couples who have followed HypnoBirthing swear that this is true. After learning to embrace the body's innate knowledge of birthing, relaxing into the birthing process, and working with body and baby, a woman trusts that each knows how to do its job. In doing this, she also eliminates fatigue and shortens her birthing time.

HypnoBirthing is about women reclaiming their right to call upon their natural birthing instincts. It helps you to frame a positive expectation and to prepare for birth by developing a trust and belief in your birthing body and in nature's undeniable orchestration of birthing. By teaching you the basic physiology of birth and explaining the adverse effect that fear has upon the chemical and physiological responses of your body, you learn simple, self-conditioning techniques that will easily bring you into the optimal state of relaxation you will use doing birthing. The four basic HypnoBirthing techniques are: Breathing, Relaxation, Visualization, Deepening. (These are good to use in any stressful situation, throughout the rest of our lives!)

And, no, this doesn't go against the Bible. Scholars have found that there was never an actual curse placed exclusively upon Eve. In Genesis, God uses the very same wording in speaking to Adam as to Eve. The translators, though, influenced by the terrible conditions surrounding birth at the time, chose to translate the dictum delivered to Eve differently. So even church has falesly programmed us to think that childbirth is supposed to be horrible!

According to page 40, with our modern knowledge, we understand more clearly how fear of complication and resulting in death, not fear of birthing, caused women to look upon labor with horror. Extreme fear created extreme tension, and the tension, in turn, resulted in a taut cervix, unable to perform its natural function. Those who lived through the ordeal, as well as those who witnessed it, attested to the agony that was experienced in birthing.

Deaths in hospitals were the result of lack of sanitation and exposure to the contagion of illnesses of other patients, rather than complication or the danger of birthing. Nevertheless, deaths occurred, and the fear of death became even more strongly associated with giving birth.

It wasn't until the mid-nineteen-seventies that it was discovered that a source of natural analgesic lies within the body itself. American researchers discovered that opiate molecules, locking onto special receptor sites of neurons in the central nervous system, slowed down the firing rate of the neurons. They found that if they decreased the firing rate of the neurons, it resulted in a decrease in the sensation of pain. A state of calm was the missing ingredient that made the decrease possible. Endorphins--neuropeptides in the brain and pituitary gland--have an effect 200 times that of morphine. Endorphins produce a tranquil, amnesiac condition.

This was reassuring for me to read because I also didn't like the idea of any other medication during labor, either. It is a myth that the drugs they give don't cross the placenta to the baby. The placenta has no barrier.

The well-respected Physicians' Desk Reference clearly states that at this time there are no adequate and well-controlled studies for the use of these drugs with pregnant women. The PDR also points out that it is still not known whether these drugs can cause fetal harm when administered to laboring women.

Even pills, or any of the injected drugs used to take the edge off, can supress a laboring mom's efforts to work with her body's surges, as HypnoBirthing moms are trained to do. These narcotics can cause reduced muscle tone and prolong labor. Because of the numbing effects of drugs, the laboring woman is less aware of her surges and may not be able to efficiently assist in working with them to facilitate opening.

Fetology experts are now saying that the disorientation that a baby experiences when his mother has accepted drugs can result in disconnection between mother and baby and cause a long-term feeling of abadonment on the part of the baby. Studies have shown that babies whose mothers were medicated lacked the ability to crawl to the breast and were unable to suckle even with assistance. As long as indications point to a healthy, strong baby and you are in no dnger, be willing to protect your baby from the assault of drugs.

There may come a time when all accomodations to your wishes has been extended, but for some reason, your baby is not weathering it well. In such an instance, it may be determined that your birthing needs medical assistance. In this kind of situation, you will find that your relaxed HypnoBirthing attitude and techniques can still help you through whatever turn your birthing may take. Understanding the need for medical intervention and, along with your birth companion, being a part of the decision-making team will help you accede to whatever preparations need to be made. You will remain calm and in control of your circumstances.

So, to sum it up, Joe and I will be requesting that there be no medication administered, no epidural, and hopefully no pitocin or episiotomy.

As my HypnoBirthing book says, The more nature is able to take its course, the less likely you are to need an episiotomy. The thick rim of the perineum needs to gradually thin and unfold through each surge by natural pressure of the baby's head until, at last, it folds open fully to allow the baby's head to pass through. Tears in the skin can be avoided if the mother has practiced perineal massage and there are no rushed, violent pushes.

I would like L.J. placed immediately on my chest for skin-to-skin contact (it has been known to help with bonding, plus it is the most natural thing, as all mothers' body heat adjusts to the needs of her newborn!), some extra time before they put ointment in his eyes (an anti-biotic given to all babies since they are sensitive to germs for the first time), no hepititus B shot (as stated in one of my prior blogs, completely unncessary if the mother isn't sleeping around or using drugs), and Joe doesn't want to cut the umbilical cord--so the doctor can do that when it has stopped pulsating. (When it is prematurely cut, it abruptly cuts off the flow of blood to the baby, depriving him of that source of oxygen and of the many nutrients that will affect his health for a lifetime.) Finally, L.J. will be circumsized, although there is no medical reason to do so nowdays (it's our aesthetic preference).

The best part about all of this, is that I am actually looking forward to labor now, rather than dreading it. I will let you know how it goes!

UPDATE: You can read Logan's birth story here.

This was originally written on Tuesday, March 04, 2008:

In last week's childbirth class we discussed "bringing home baby" and did evaluations. It was our instructor's last class so I'm not sure what's going on for the final one this Thursday. Overall, it was a good experience and I'm glad we did it, but I don't think it was as good as it could have been. Most of the stuff was the same info that we hear about and read everywhere, and the teacher was nice but tended to repeat her same personal stories over and over at each class, LOL! I was bummed that Joe didn't get to wear the "belly" like they do at the hospitals in Des Moines. It might have been because our class was so huge that they just couldn't do interactive stuff.

Last night was the rescheduled breastfeeding class (from when it was canceled due to bad weather) which was my favorite. There were only three other couples, and Joe & I learned more last night than in the five weeks of our regular childbirth class. I really liked our instructor and am not as worried about breastfeeding now. I'd heard it can be difficult and frustrating for some women, but they have lactation consultants at the hospital to help you during the time you are there and will come to your house afterwards if you want them to. It sounds like if you learn the tricks, it will work. I'll make that a blog topic in the future.

The only other appointment we have to make now is with Fire & Safety here to teach us how to install our carseat. Apparently, 85% of all car seats are installed improperly and so they won't let us take L.J. home from the hospital unless ours is installed correctly.

Saturday was my shower in Iowa and it was a blast! (Joe ended up coming, too, because I decided it didn't make sense for him to run off & hide somewhere, when he helped me register and is a part of the process, too!)

That evening I went over to my dad & stepmom's house where we watched a National Geographic movie called In the Womb which made it neat to see everything that I've been reading about the past seven months. I'd definitely recommend it to all pregnant mothers.

We returned home on Sunday, and then Monday I unpacked and took it easy, as I started to feel sick again (a slight sore throat)--but today am better. The latest with L.J. is that he's lodged himself under my ribs which is rather uncomfortable. It feels like a continuous cramp that you get if you run after eating or drinking. So I haven't been sleeping as well, as his kicks are now sometimes painful. He's also kicking my bladder which hurts and makes me pee every few minutes! Often times I feel jittery while trying to go to sleep, so there's just a lot of tossing and turning at night. Yes, these have been the longest months of my life. I'm ready to be done. :/

At least I haven't had any more pre-term labor scares, though. Joe was worried last week when I was nauseated and had spent the week cleaning the house (now you can't even tell, as it's a mess again). You might recall from my "signs of labor" blog that those can be cues. Also, until the week of my menstrual-like cramps, my dogs had given me no indication that they'd ever sensed I was pregnant. Although I'd talked about it with them a lot (yes, hehe) and Bella knows where "the baby's room" is, it never seemed that they understood that I was pregnant. But since then they've been smelling my belly and staring at it a lot. But I haven't even experienced Braxton Hicks during this pregnancy, so now I'm thinking maybe he won't be early after all.

I have my doctor's appt. this Friday so we will see what my results are from my blood glucose test!

This was originally written on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I've forgotten to mention in the past that many women notice faster growth with their hair and nails during pregnancy. For me, I can agree with the latter one--but as for the hair, I have the world's slowest growing hair so it doesn't surprise me that I haven't noticed an improvement with this one. I think I have some gene that makes my hair stop growing when it gets to the point it is now, because it's never been longer than this--which is the same length it's been for almost two years (with only trims, no cuts).

Moving on. . .no matter if you are in the first, second, or third trimester, it is good to learn the signs of labor.

*Lightening: Earlier in your pregnancy, your uterus/fetus was positioned high in your abdomen, just underneath your breasts. As delivery nears and your baby grows, it drops two to three inches away from your ribs. This process is called lightening. It can occur weeks before the onset of labor or anytime right up to when labor begins. Many women describe it as increased pressure in the pelvis. This pressure results from the baby's head settling into the bony pelvis.

*Contractions: Throughout pregnancy, the uterine muscles contract from time to time. They are often painless, irregular in frequency and mild in intensity. Many women describe these contractions as a "balling up" sensation. The closer you get to your due date, the more likely you are to experience Braxton-Hicks contractions. These contractions can mimic true labor contractions and may make you feel as if your labor has begun.

*Effacement: After prostaglandins soften and ripen your cervix, it further prepares for birth by thinning out the cervix or effacing it. The cervix is normally an inch and a half to two inches long and will become paper thin as it stretches and pulls over the baby's head. Your nurse or healthcare provider are able to tell you if there are any changes to your cervix by doing a pelvic exam.

*Dilation: The cervix opens gradually and is measured in centimeters from 0 to 10. Both effacement and dilation are estimated upon vaginal exam and are subjective measurements. One way to help you visualize these changes is for you to think about a ketchup bottle. If you hold it upside down, you can think of it as your cervix. It has a very long thick neck. Compare this image to a mayonnaise jar held upside down. The neck of the mayonnaise jar is thinned out and its opening measures about 10 centimeters. This is a strange analogy but a great way for you to visualize exactly how the process of labor changes the cervix.

*Station: The relationship of the top of the baby's head or presenting part to the spines of your pelvic bones is known as station. Upon vaginal exam your healthcare provider can feel two bony prominences through your vaginal wall. These are known as the ischial spines. If the baby's head is above the ischial spines it is a negative number--below the spines it is a positive number. For example, +2 station means the head is 2 centimeters below the spines.

*Mucous Plug: The plug blocks the long cervix and helps to prevent bacteria from getting into the uterus. As the cervix ripens and softens, the plug may be dislodged. It is a very thick, stringy piece of mucous that is not always noticed by women. It can also be called a bloody show. The cervix has a rich blood supply and as the mucous passes through the cervix it may appear blood-tinged. It could be moments or days until labor begins and is one of the signs of the prelude to labor.

*Bag of waters or ruptured membranes: You never know where you are going to be when your labor begins or when and if your membranes rupture. It is advisable to carry a towel in your car, sanitary pads in your purse, and most important, protect your mattress with a plastic shower curtain or something which will not allow the amniotic fluid to ruin it. It is important to come to the hospital if you think your water has broken. Most healthcare providers prefer to deliver your baby within 24 hours of the time of the rupture because of the possibility of infection.

*Nesting or burst of energy: One day you will wake up and clean one end of the house to the other. It is the best you have felt in nine months! This is commonly referred to as the nesting instinct; you will prepare and get things ready for the big event. Just do not over do it. You do need to conserve as much energy as possible. Fatigue and a lack of sleep are your worst enemies when labor begins.

*Gastrointestinal disturbances: It is very common for some women to experience nausea and/or diarrhea at the beginning of labor. Many believe it is due to the sudden increase of hormones once labor begins. Some women will have nausea and vomiting as the stages of labor progress, and others may have no symptoms at all.

To decide if your contractions represent true or false labor, record the time between the start of one contraction and the start to the next. Do this for several contractions in a row. True labor contractions occur at regular intervals. Intensity of contractions increases. Intervals between contractions shortens. There will be discomfort in back and/or lower abdomen. Discomfort does not stop with walking. Cervix dilates. False contractions occur at irregular intervals. Intensity is relatively unchanged. Interval between contractions is not shorter. Discomfort is primarily in lower abdomen. Discomfort frequently relieved with walking. Cervix does not dilate.

If you suspect you could be in labor, the first thing to do is relax. Prepare to time your contractions. Stay calm. (My doctor said that if I'm after 36 weeks then I am to wait until I can hardly stand it and am having a hard time talking between contractions before going to the hospital. They will then call her. Prior to 36 weeks, however, I am to call her immediately and not hesitate for a second to go to the hospital.) If your water breaks, whether you have contractions or not, call your healthcare provider promptly or go to the hospital.

Warning signs which need immediate attention:

*Preterm labor (before 36 weeks): More than 4 contractions occurring in an hour, menstrual-like cramps--may come and go or be constant, abdominal cramps--may occur with or without diarrhea, low backache--comes and goes or is constant, pelvic pressure--feels like the baby is pushing down, and change in vaginal discharge---a sudden increase in the amount or may become more mucous-like, watery or slightly blood-tinged.

*Vaginal bleeding: Bright red bleeding is not normal. Note the following--amount of bleeding and presence of clots.

*Decreased fetal movement: You may choose to use a fetal activity chart the last few weeks of pregnancy to track movement. Absence of movement or significant lessening of movement may be of concern; notify your healthcare provider.

*Fever: Notify your healthcare provider if you have a fever.

*Headache: Unusually severe. Seeing spots or flashing lights. Other neurological symptoms--numbness, loss of vision, weakness, loss of balance or speech difficulty.

*Urinary discomfort: Frequency with small amounts. Painful urination. Blood-tinged urine. Pus in urine.

There are three stages of labor:

*First stage: Occurring from the time true labor begins until the cervix is completely dilated and the baby can pass out of the uterus through the cervix. This is the longest stage; the average duration for women having their first child is 12-16 hours. During the early stage (the start of labor until the cervix dilates to 3 centimeters), women are very social and feeling eager, excited, and full of anticipation. Do not overdo. Conserving your energy now is imperative since this is the longest phase. The active stage (dilates your cervix to 7 centimeters) averages around 4-5 hours. Women are now extremely involved in the work of labor and occupied with their focus on the job at hand. They are no longer social. The contractions grow stronger and are progressively longer. The transition phase is the hardest phase within the first stage of labor, but is the shortest. It can be as short as 30 minutes and as long as 2 hours. This phase will dilate the cervix up to full dilation or 10 centimeters. These contractions are very intense and they may almost seem as if they are one right after another. You may sense pressure on your perineum from the baby's head as it descends further into your birth canal.

*Second stage: Occurring from complete cervical dilation until the delivery of your baby. This stage is shorter than the first stage, lasting anywhere from one contraction up to two hours or so. At this stage, the cervix is dilated enough to allow the baby's head to pass through it. As the sensation of pressure on the perineum increases, so may the urge to push or "bear down." Your nurse will tell you when it is time to push although you may have the urge before you are fully dilated. It is important that you not push until you are instructed to do so. Pushing too early may cause the cervix to become swollen. With each contraction, the baby moves closer to the opening of the birth canal. As you bear down, the baby's head eventually will appear, and finally the baby is born.

*Third stage: Following delivery of the baby until the placenta detaches from the uterine wall and is expelled through the vagina. It is the shortest stage and lasts anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. After a few labor-like contractions and massage of your uterus, the placenta or afterbirth is expelled. You will be observed closely for the next few hours to make certain that the uterus stays contracted and bleeding is not excessive.

There are many factors that will determine how long your labor will be or how long it takes to go from one stage to the next: position of the baby's head, size of baby, presentation of baby, size and shape of mother's pelvis, mother's physical and emotional state, the effectiveness of the contractions in dilating the cervix, the birth partner and the support they provide, and medications or anesthesia administered.

Thanks to my childbirth class for this information, found in their book: The Gift of Motherhood by Alegent Health.

This was originally written on Monday, February 25, 2008:

I’m over the Y.I. (and prescription) so that is definitely good news.

As of a few weeks ago, L.J.'s kicks last for longer! In other words, some days he’ll push through my belly and just leave his arm or leg there for a few seconds! If that’s not weird enough (in a good way), one night I was taking a bath and as I changed positions I saw a perfectly round ball press through my skin. . .as in L.J.'s head! Yes, there are some definite crazy moments during pregnancy!

As for my blood glucose test, I never heard the results today, so I don’t know if they're waiting to tell me at my next appt or what. I’m glad that it was taken on Friday and not today because there was a to-die-for cake and mints at my Omaha baby shower yesterday, so I not only had sweets—but a lot! They were so good, though! (And the shower was a lot of fun-I received some great stuff!)

I'm in my 30th week and 26 lbs. gained. I'm beginning to understand what it's like to be overweight. When I go to restaurants I'm claustrophobic in booths! Even though my back is against the seat, my stomach touches the table. Not comfortable. I'm looking forward to buying an eliptical machine--Joe has been wanting one for a couple of years and so we're going to look the next chance we get. (Of course I won't start using it until after I have L.J..)

I’ve just learned that after 34 weeks of pregnancy you need your doctor’s permission to travel—even 2.5 hours away. So no more trips to Iowa for me after my mom's shower this weekend.

On Friday Joe & I went out for Chinese food because I was craving lemon chicken. Cravings is my blog topic for today. I haven’t experienced them too much while being pregnant (or at least it’s been less than what I expected from watching television). Besides the chicken in the very beginning (remember my story of my first morning sickness day, getting up at 4:30 am? lol), other things I craved were honey mustard (I’ll never forget the look on Joe’s face when he glanced at me and saw me drinking a cup of honey mustard one day, seriously--haha!), cheese spread, deviled eggs, meatballs, barbecue sauce, and deep dish (thick-thick) pizza. It is true that if you try to satisfy cravings with something else, or put it off, it just gets stronger and more intense. It’s not like when you’re not pregnant and eventually the desire goes away. It becomes all you can think about so you’re obsessed and miserable! But for me, I was satisfied immediately after eating those things. So it wasn’t like I had the same food and only that food for a week or more.

No one really knows the cause for cravings, but it’s assumed to be hormonal driven. Although some food cravings may be a bit strange, they aren't harmful. But there are some women who crave items that are not food and could be potentially harmful when consumed. The term that refers to such unusual cravings is pica. Some non-food substances that pregnant women crave include dirt, cigarette ashes, chalk, baking soda, soap and other items. Although it remains uncertain, pica may be linked to an iron deficiency. If you or someone you know has a strong craving for a non-food item, don't eat the substance since it can be harmful. Talk to your physician to make him or her aware of the craving. It could be due to an underlying illness.

Cravings may start very early in the pregnancy and last throughout, or a woman may not experience any cravings until the second or third trimester. Women who were vegetarians may experience strong cravings for meat during their pregnancy. This can be the body's way of fulfilling its need for protein.

Doctors recommend giving in to the cravings, even if they have little nutritional value. Once the baby is born and hormones return to normal your eating habits will, too.

Our breastfeeding class was canceled this evening due to the snow we got today.
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This was originally written on Tuesday, February 26, 2008:

I forgot to mention yesterday that my horoscope said I'd "feel back to normal in three months"--HAHA! How appropriate.

Also yesterday I went to Hy-Vee and I have to say they are awesome to have expecting and new mother parking places! I'd never noticed those before pregnancy and hadn't felt right about using them until now that it's obvious to everyone that I am. But yesterday was really icky weather (rain and snow all day) so it was very nice to be able to park right in front and not have to waddle far :p All places should have those! (Today was nice weather again.)

Speaking of everyone noticing, a little over a week ago Joe and I went to the mall and I had to go to the restroom. There was a long line as usual for the women's and I was totally caught off guard when four different people in front of me offered to let me go in their place! I didn't feel right about doing that (I told them I could hold it, lol), but I was really touched. I'll remember that in the future when I see pregnant women. I was clueless before and had no idea that pregnancy does make you have to pee really, really, really bad!

You might remember me mentioning in one of my pregnancy symptom blogs that it's easy to "lose some" when coughing. Well those ten days that I had the chest cold I experienced this for the first time and it was very weird. You don't even have to go--a little will just come out without you able to do anything to stop it.

Okay enough about that :p

Today's topic is what exercise you can do while pregnant. Unfortunately for me, my body has made it very difficult for me to do any. Just walking around the house or at the store is all my body can take (although today I was able to clean my house, hallelujah)! But exercise has been known to shorten labor, so light exercise is recommended if your body can do it.

If you have a moderate exercise routine before pregnancy, keep it up. If you've been pretty sedentary, don't suddenly plunge into a program. Here are some tips:

*Avoid overheating.

*Avoid exercising flat on your back; doing so may reduce blood flow to your heart.

*Try not to beat yourself up if you find that pregnancy makes it harder to continue the workout routine you're accustomed to. Modify your program according to what you can reasonably tolerate. Listen to your body. You may find it easier to perform nonweight-bearing exercises like swimming.

*Watch how your center of gravity shifts. You should avoid surfing, horseback riding, skiing, or any other sport that can cause injury if you're out of balance. Also avoid anything that puts you at risk of being hurt in the abdomen, and high-impact, bouncy exercises that can tax your loosening joints.

*Carry a bottle of water to every exercise session and stay well hydrated.

*Eat a well-balanced diet that includes an adequate supply of carbohydrates.

*Talk to your practitioner about what your peak exercise heart rate should be. (Many practitioners suggest 140 beats per minute as the upper limit.) Then regularly measure your heart rate at the peak of your workout to make sure that it's at a safe level.

Stop exercising — and talk to your doctor — if you experience any of these symptoms:

*Shortness of breath out of proportion to the exercise you are doing

*Vaginal bleeding

*Rapid heartbeat (that is, more than 140 beats per minute)

*Dizziness or feeling faint

*Any significant pain

Here's a more specific look at how pregnancy affects the most common kinds of exercise:

*Aerobics: Like running, high-intensity aerobics are not for pregnant women. Take a class designed for pregnant women. Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back or overstretch your joints. Throughout the nine months, low-impact workouts make more sense than high-impact ones. During the third trimester, you may have difficulty keeping your balance all the way through an aerobics class or tape.

*Bicycling: Bike riding is nonweight-bearing — the bicycle supports your weight — and that makes it good for pregnant women. Still, biking entails some risks. As your center of gravity shifts, you may be more likely to fall. Your heavier abdomen can also put stress on your back as you lean toward the handlebars. Stationary bicycles are ideal because they pose very little risk of falling. In fact, stationary bike riding is an exercise that even the most sedentary woman can begin after she gets pregnant, because she can start slowly and gradually increase riding time as she gets in better shape.

*Golf and bowling: They're perfectly okay, but be careful not to overextend or overheat.

*Running/jogging: You put yourself at risk of musculoskeletal injuries — knee and hip problems and the like. Better to try walking, 30 to 60 minutes a day.

*Stair-climbing machines: Stair climbing is weight-bearing, but most machines help lighten the load so that it isn't as weight-bearing as aerobics or running. And the stationary machines pose little risk of falling. As your stomach grows, you put more stress on your back muscles, though.

*Stretching and body sculpting: These are fine as long as you don't do them flat on your back or overextend. You don't get any cardiac benefit, but stretching does help you maintain muscle tone and flexibility, which can come in handy during labor and delivery. Kegel exercises, which involve targeting and contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor (around the opening of your bladder and vagina), may not help so much during pregnancy. But afterward, they can make it easier for your pelvic muscles to return to normal, and they may prevent problems with urinary incontinence later in life.

*Swimming: Swimming is one of the best exercises a pregnant woman can do because it puts no stress on your joints and poses little risk of overheating or losing your balance and falling. However, avoid scuba diving because the dramatic pressure changes could have adverse effects on the baby.

*Yoga: Most forms of yoga are fine during pregnancy and may even relieve some of your stress. Many yoga teachers offer special pregnancy classes. Avoid lying flat on your back or overstretching.

I had to laugh at the scuba diving sentence! Who in their right mind would try scuba diving while pregnant?!

This was originally written on Saturday, February 23, 2008

Although my menstrual-like cramps went away for about an hour last Thursday, they soon returned and didn't stop.

So, after my blood glucose test on Friday (results will be back Mon), I told my doctor about them. She didn't hesitate--she told me to get undressed, lol. She then checked my cervix which looked the way it was supposed to at this stage of pregnancy--so, the good news is I'm not dialted yet--but she still wanted to do the test to see if I was at risk for labor within the next couple of weeks. I'll spare you the suspense: the results came in at 5:30 pm last night and all is good. The test has an 85% accuracy rate so chances are I will not go into labor over these next two weeks--whew!

My appointment lasted 2.5 hrs because my doctor also wanted to hook up the fetal monitor to make sure I wasn't having any contractions. I knew I wasn't, but it did show that there was "uterine activity," so she could see my cramps on the print-out. Fortunately, everything with Logan is still in top shape.

Ironically, our childbirth class instructor had just passed around the pink & blue "contraction" bands at our last class. I had no idea they were going to be wrapped around me so soon.

Apparently the woman who usually works with the fetal montitor quit last week, and no one else has had time to be trained on how to use it. At first one of the nurses tried, but quickly lost her confidence, so another nurse came in to give it a shot. She soon gave up as well. Meanwhile, my doctor was still seeing other patients, but checking on me in between them. (I thought back to that other Friday when I was on the opposite end--this time I think I was the one making her run behind!)

Needless to say, someone forgot to tell me what to do, because not long after my doctor left, the machine started beeping! You know, like when there's an emergency! I kept thinking surely someone is going to hear it and come check on me. Nope. I noticed that the button to push for help was located at the opposite side of the room. Great, what was I supposed to do? I was all hooked up and couldn't move--but the sound was so annoying! Still, I could see the print-out with my baby's heartbeat, etc. so I didn't want to unplug myself because then it'd stop recording everything. So I just sat there for a half an hour--UGH!

Finally another nurse came in and gave me a weird look. I asked, "Is it supposed to be beeping like that?" She shook her head and looked at the print-out. She said she'd take it to my doctor and get back to me.

A few minutes later someone else came back and said that I was supposed to press a button whenever I felt Logan move. Apparently the monitor had thought there hadn't been any movement or something and so my print-out didn't record correctly. SIGH.

Soooo I had to sit there for twenty more minutes. At least this time the monitor was quiet. But I don't know how long it was before the paper ran out! Yes, there my sheet went, falling to the floor! I was thinking, are you serious?! I decided I'd had enough. I'd been in that room for a full hour! So I unhooked myself, got up, and opened the door. There was a nurse standing nearby and so I told her that the machine ran out of paper. She came in, put more paper in, and motioned for me to sit back down. I said, "Isn't this enough? I'd prefer to just go home now."

She said she'd ask my doctor. A couple of minutes later another nurse came in to let me know that I was indeed done. Yeay! She said that the good news was that I wasn't having any contractions, however, my cramps were indeed real, as my line on the graph should have been straight but instead was curvy.

It appears my problem is that I have a yeast infection :p Prior to the fetal monitor, my doctor tested me for that and a urinary tract infection (which came back negative). I've only had one other one in my life (nearly 8 yrs ago) and that time I experienced all of the symptoms. This time there were none, so I was really surprised. But yeast infections are super common during pregnancy--in fact, women are more likely to get one while pregnant than at any other time of their life. Every book I've read since "day one" had told me this, but I was so sure I wasn't going to get one. I guess I associated it as a "bad" or "unclean" thing to have, but that is not the case. It's simply just another hormonal side effect of pregnancy, no different from the morning sickness I experienced for so long. And, my virus last week might have made me more prone.

I have a prescription cream for the next three days, and I don't know if it's a coincidence, but I started it last night and haven't had cramps since! Crazy! So hopefully that's what caused the cramps and that will be the end of them.

Since, as I said, yeast infections are another common side effect of pregnancy, I thought I might as well make that my topic today:

When you are pregnant, your body is going through so many changes, it is difficult for your body to keep up with the chemical changes in the vaginal environment. Since a woman’s immune system is weakened during pregnancy to allow the fetus to grow unharmed within the womb, yeast infections can occur more readily and sometimes more than once, even for women who have never experienced one before. Also, your higher level of estrogen during pregnancy causes your vagina to produce more glycogen, making it easy for yeast to grow there.

If you develop symptoms from a yeast infection, they're likely to plague you (and may get worse) until you treat the infection. Symptoms may include:

• Itchiness, irritation, soreness, burning, and redness (and sometimes swelling)

• An odorless vaginal discharge that's often white, creamy, or cottage-cheesy

• Discomfort or pain during sex

• Burning when you urinate

(Like I said, I didn't have any of these symptoms, so I don't know if it's because we caught it early or if a lot of women may have yeast infections and never know it.)

A yeast infection won't hurt or affect your developing baby. If you have an infection when you go into labor, though, there's a chance that your newborn will contract it as he passes through the birth canal. If he does, he may develop a yeast infection in his mouth, known as thrush. This condition is easily treated.

It's less likely you'll get a yeast infection if you keep your genital area dry (yeast thrives in a warm, humid environment) and your vaginal flora in balance. Not all of the following suggestions are supported by hard evidence, but they're easy enough and worth a try (although, I had already unknowingly been following all but two and still got one):

• Wear breathable cotton underwear and avoid pantyhose and tight pants, particularly synthetic ones.

• Get out of your wet bathing suit promptly after swimming, and change your underwear after exercising if you break a sweat.

• Try sleeping without underwear at night to allow air to get to your genital area. If you prefer to wear something to bed, a nightgown without underwear allows more air circulation than pajama bottoms.

• Avoid bubble baths, perfumed soaps, scented laundry detergent, and feminine hygiene sprays. While it's not clear whether these items contribute to yeast infections, they can cause bothersome genital irritation so are best avoided.

• Clean your genital area gently with warm water. (Never douche during pregnancy.)

• Always wipe from front to back.

• Eat yogurt that contains a live culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus, which can theoretically help maintain the proper bacterial balance in your gut and vagina. There's conflicting evidence as to whether yogurt helps prevent yeast infections, but many women swear by it.

• Limit sugar intake, as sugar promotes the growth of yeast

• Get plenty of rest to make it easier for your body to fight infections

• Avoid sexual intercourse until the yeast infection is completely gone

So what are the treatment options for those who have a yeast infection during pregnancy? It is important that you make sure the treatment poses no threat to the developing fetus and won't cause you to go into premature labor. Many natural and herbal remedies as well as some subscription medications can cause such problems so it is important to get advice from your doctor on the proper treatments for a yeast infection during pregnancy.

Your practitioner will most likely give you a prescription or recommend a specific over-the-counter antifungal vaginal cream or suppository that's safe during pregnancy. (Note: Oral antifungal drugs should not be taken during pregnancy to treat vaginal yeast infections.) Yeast infections generally clear up pretty quickly.

I also read that it could be a symptom of gestational diabetes so I hope that my test results aren't positive on Monday. For the test, I had to drink orange glucola (tasted like orange pop) about 45 minutes prior to my appointment time. When I arrived to the doctor's office I told them the exact minute I'd finished drinking. (It'd taken me two minutes--from 12:25-12:27.) At about 1:20 a nurse I'd never seen before came back to get me and took my blood pressure (still "excellent," whew) and my weight (I don't know if she thought it was a lot or what but she asked me if I'd just had a big lunch. . .um, hello?!)

Then she took two vials of my blood which I was glad to get over with. Like I said, I'd never had this nurse before and I almost laughed when she started rubbing a birth mark on the palm of my hand. I was thinking, what are you doing lady? She asked, "What happened there?" I haven't been asked that question since I was a little girl. Back then everyone always thought it was an "owie," too. So I explained it was a birth mark--I've had it my whole life. She informed me that she has a birth mark shaped as a butterfly under her armpit. . .

From there she took me to my room and soon after my doctor came in (so no waiting this time, thank goodness). My doctor told me that if the test to see if I was at risk for labor came back positive then she'd want me to immediately go to the hospital where I'd probably be on bedrest for the remainder of my pregnancy. Either way, she wanted me to just sit around all this weekend. I kind of laughed on the inside and thought, all I do is sit around these days! Today I'm going scrapbooking and tomorrow is the baby shower with Heather, Lisa, and the Sara(h)s so I'm pretty sure those activities will be okay. Next Saturday is my baby shower at my mom's house in Iowa, so that's a little riskier, but at least it's only 2.5 hrs away, so if for some reason the test was inaccurate and I do go into labor then, we can high-tail it back to Omaha. But I feel pretty good now and am confident I'll be okay for at least a few more weeks :p

It's just crazy that now there's something else! I told Joe it seems I've gone through more stressors while being pregnant than during any other six months of my life! I hope that Logan is blissfully living in the womb, unaware of all this "stuff" that has gone on. Because absolutely none of it has been in my control.

Otherwise, since I last wrote, I went to Panera Bread with Melissa and had a nice lunch. She said the nicest thing to me: she told her husband that even if she ends up really liking Arizona, there will never be another Andrea. I know I will cry when she moves :-(

Afterwards we went shopping at Burlington Coat Factory--I'd never been there but she'd told me they have a baby depot and the prices are a lot cheaper than at Babies R Us (but some of the same stuff). In fact, I ended up buying two gowns for Logan (highly recommended, especially for babies born in the summer). . .and when I got home I realized that I had registered for the exact two at Babies R Us--only they were $6 cheaper at Burlington Coat Factory. So I deleted them from my registry and now they are here for Logan whenever he arrives :-)

That evening Joe and I went to our childbirth class and learned about c-sections which I really hope I don't have to have. Last week we'd talked about epidurals and medication which I also really don't want to have. I'll explain more when I write a blog about my birth plan.

This, however, concludes my blog for today!

This was originally written on Thursday, February 07, 2008

Unfortunately my nausea hasn't quit from Tuesday. I had a bad night last night, which meant Joe also had a bad night. I told him maybe I should sleep in our guest room the rest of my pregnancy so I don't bother him. He said "no," but suddenly our queen bed feels terribly small and I wish we had a king.

Aside from feeling sick, I kept getting hot then cold (and never felt comfortable), and so finally I went downstairs to lay on the couch--but apparently the dogs then starting crying as they do whenever they know that I'm not in bed (bad news for when L.J.'s here and I'm up constantly for him). So then Joe let them out of the closet (where they sleep) so that he could get some sleep, but they wouldn't stop crawling all over me. News for those with lap dogs: they will annoy you when pregnant. Prior to being pregnant, I enjoyed them always cuddling and wanting to be close. Now, it's like "give me some space, let me breathe, get away!"

Joe finally put the collar on Cosmo, yelled at Bella, and put them back in the closet, and from 4 am on we were able to sleep well. But, due to the hours prior (and now) I had to call Jenn next door and tell her I'll have to take a raincheck on scrapbooking (which she invited me to do at her house every other Thursday). Hopefully I'll feel better tonight for our second childbirth class.

I hope my parents have a good week in Chicago, as they are going to be in the audience of the Oprah show!
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This was originally written on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I thought I'd post a picture of L.J.'s swing! It arrived a couple of days ago from my aunt (mom's sister-in-law), her two daughters (my cousins), and her daughter-in-law (my other cousin's wife). It's called Nature's Purest Swing-Hug Me by Summer Infant from Babies R Us. Isn't it soooo cute?!?!?! It has three different speeds and plays music & other sounds. Our house is looking more and more like a baby lives here :-)--------
This was originally written on Thursday, February 21, 2008

I'm up early this morning, due to having menstrual-like cramps during the night. They are better now (due to drinking a lot of water, going to the bathroom, and walking around), so I'm not going to freak out. . .plus, I have my next doctor's appt. tomorrow.

I have been "out of commission" since Saturday, Feb. 9th. I began to feel I may be in jeopardy of catching a virus a couple of days before, but had hoped I could prevent it. That day (Thurs, Feb. 7th) Joe left work early because we had a ton of stuff to do. At night we had to rush to our childbirth class which, even though the topic was "relaxation exercises" to do while in labor, it was exhausting. All I could think about was getting home and going to bed. Unfortunately, we still had some last-minute stuff to do. I was so run down that I was going to leave Joe my cell phone and go home, but instead I left with my cell phone, and so I realized I was going to have to go back where he was because otherwise I wouldn't know when to pick him up.

First, though, I stopped off at home to let the dogs out and was greeted with a not very nice present: there had been a trash bag sitting by our garage door that was now in shreads. Kleenex or toilet paper was strewn all over our living room. Tears that had been on the verge of coming--came. I haven't had to dog-proof my house since they were puppies--what in the world?! Ugh.

Anyway, I drove back to Joe and finished helping him. I was so happy when I finally went to bed.

But on Friday I had to go "out and about" and felt run down again very quickly. So I e-mailed my writers critique group to let them know I wasn't going to be able to make it that night. I needed to go to bed at 8 pm! Needless to say, the following week I decided to resign permanently. I just can't seem to commit to being a member these days. Plus, I don't know what my life is going to be like once L.J. is here. I've had a really hard time working on my manuscript lately, but am hoping to keep on trucking because if I put writing on hold then it will be that much longer before my dream comes true. So, I'm still keeping in contact with everyone in the group and will attend the main writers group meetings.

On Saturday morning we had the meeting for this month, which was very motivational. Amber joined me and then we met our husbands afterwards for lunch.

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and have gained 25 lbs., so I'm on track again. I already grew out of one of my pair of maternity pants, though. They were the first jeans I bought last fall. So, I bought myself a new top yesterday!

After lunch on the 9th Joe and I picked up our car seat/stroller. It's been sitting in our living room since, and I smile every time I see it :-)

We also went to Verizon to finally get Joe a cell phone! I've had a plan with them for a year-and-a-half and so we got a family share plan and changed my phone # to an Omaha number. It took nearly two hours (thus why it's taken us five years to get Joe a cell phone) but I feel a lot better now knowing I should be able to get a hold of him whenever I go into labor.

By the time we were finished, though, I was coughing like I had bronchitis. We came home and I put on my pjs. . .but it was too late. I got worse each hour. By Sunday morning I was a wreck. I couldn't get out of bed all day. Monday was the worst. It had developed into a painful sore throat (and still the bad cough), as well as a headache, stuffy nose, earache, and I even threw up that morning. Joe worked from home so he could keep an eye on me, as I also kept getting sweaty (burning up) and then cold. Fortunately, I never had a fever and so supposedly L.J. was/is okay. (I kept turning on a fan or placing a cold washcloth on my forehead when I became hot.)

Joe called my doctor's office to find out what I could take, and they said that Robitussin is all right. So, he went to the store and bought me some, however, it didn't work (I might not have taken it enough; I just didn't want to risk it, so I only took it four or five times throughout the week). I was still a disaster in bed all day on Tuesday and Wednesday, drinking tons of orange juice and eating chicken noodle soup.

Joe spent every night in our guest bedroom, but still managed to get sick as well. I'm not sure if he caught the same virus because his wasn't as serious, or if it just affected him differently. He mainly just had a runny/stuffy nose and a slight cough. But he worked from home again on Wednesday.

Thursday was the first day I noticed some improvement. I still had a sore throat & cough, but my other ailments went away (although I'd still been having nausea since before my virus). I was able to go to our childbirth class that night, but that was it for Valentine's Day.

For our childbirth class, we received a tour of the hospital. It was another realization that "the end is near!" Without these moments, the whole thing still doesn't seem real sometimes! How can I really experience labor and childbirth?!?!? Wow, it's really going to happen. . .!

The hospital was really cool. The rooms were bigger than I had imagined, and it sounds like we can pretty much do whatever we want--their goal is to give us the birth plan that we want, so Joe and I wrote out ours this past weekend! (I'll explain in a future blog.)

The next day (Friday, February 15) I took it easy again so as to finish recovering from my illness.

Saturday I finally felt up for keeping our tradition of going to my favorite restaurant to celebrate holidays/special occasions (since we didn't go on Valentine's Day). We also went to the mall and then crashed for the night.

On Sunday, Joe and I packed the recommended bags for the hospital so that we are now prepared to leave at a moment's notice!

Monday I could tell I was almost recovered (and Joe was fully recovered). All I had left was a slight cough. So I was able to go to the grocery store.

Tuesday I stayed home, and by that evening felt as if I was my old self (well, old pregnant self) again. Since then, my nausea has been gone for good again.

So, yesterday (Wednesday, February 20) Joe and I were able to meet our pediatrician! Originally, we'd had the appointment scheduled for the previous Wednesday when I was sick, so we were glad we could make it this time. We loved him!!!! At first I didn't know if I'd be up to driving 20 minutes (when there are several much closer to our house). But it seems worth it. The facility was nice and he was awesome. He was so friendly and knowledgable and experienced. We were really impressed; he seemed to have all of the traits anyone would want (and he answered most of my questions before I even asked).

Unfortunately, he works with another hospital (Methodist rather than the Alegent Health System) so he won't be able to be with us when L.J. is born at Bergan Mercy, but he has a doctor at our hospital who takes his patients until he can see them on the third day (and he does the same for that doctor when her clients deliver at Methodist). He says a lot of parents are doing the "delay vaccination thing" now, so he will not kick us out of his practice like most doctors if we want to wait. He said that all doctors agree that the one given at birth--hepititus B--is completely unncessary. . .but parents aren't really informed of this. In truth, a baby can only get the disease if the mother is sleeping around or doing drugs. Hospitals are required now to get a parent's consent before giving the baby the shot, but most people still go along with it. He said that his first priority is to the parents and children--not the hospitals--so he will always inform us of all of our options rather than tell us what we have to do.

So I'm glad we have another box checked off our list!

Tonight we have our 4th out of 6th childbirth classes, and then our one "breastfeeding class" on Monday. We decided to postpone our one "new parent class" until April 14th. Originally, we were supposed to go last Monday and so I was hoping to reschedule to March, but that was the next option.

For lunch today I am meeting Melissa. . .as I have some sad news. She and her husband are moving to Arizona :-( It came as a total surprise. A couple of weeks ago, a recruitor asked Jake to interview at a company near Pheonix. He did and he was offered the position of manager. So they put their house up for sale this past Friday, and he is moving the second weekend in March; she's moving the first weekend of April.

I can't believe she won't be around to see the birth of L.J.. . .also, they were planning to start trying to get pregnant this summer, so I had pictured our kids playing together, etc. It's always sad when a friend moves away, and she was my first friend in Omaha.

On a brighter note, my parents had a great time at the Oprah show! They left for Chicago on Feb. 10th and returned home on the 12th. The show aired on Valentine's Day, although they weren't in any of the shots :-( But my parents had great seats and my mom loved seeing Oprah in person, as well as Patti Labelle who was the celebrity guest. I watched and thought it was a good show.
I'll conclude this blog with information on sickness during pregnancy.

Pregnant women are more prone to colds and flu because the immune system is lowered during pregnancy in order to stop a pregnant woman's body from rejecting the unborn baby. Pregnant women may be more vulnerable to infections. Fortunately, the placenta acts as a barrier to prevent the baby from contracting most viruses. For your health, though, take the proper steps (along with washing your hands constantly and taking your vitamins):

Drink eight to 10 glasses of water each day.

Get plenty of rest.

Elevating your head and torso helps you breathe easier as well as stopping post nasal drip.

Use a steamer and/or humidifier to help moisten your nasal passages. You can also drape a towel over your head and shoulders over a pan of steaming water.

For sinus trouble apply warm compresses to help alleviate the congestion.

Make sure you keep track of your temperature at least once daily, and call your doctor or midwife if your temperature rises over 101 F. You should also call your doctor if you begin to cough up green/yellow pghlem or experience shortness of breath, persistent chest pain, or severe sore throat. If you are less than 12 weeks pregnant, or more than 38 weeks, doctors usually advise no medication. Otherwise, the following mecications can be used sparingly for cold symptoms according to package directions:

Sudafed nasal decongestant

Robitussin and Robitussin DM cough syrups

Vicks plain cough syrup

Tylenol (generic name acetaminophen) for aches, pains, and temperatures over 100 degrees.

Hopefully I won't have to go through that experience again during these last 10 weeks. Being sick is bad enough when not pregnant! I hope you are all staying healthy!!!!!

This was originally written on Wednesday, February 06, 2008:

Aside from skin changes and back pain (which I blogged about in the last two posts), there can be high blood pressure. If left untreated during pregnancy, hypertension reduces blood flow to the uterus and increases the risk of intrauterine-growth restriction. In the mom-to-be, high blood pressure can cause seizures, kidney disease, liver disease, heart damage, and brain damage.

I'm good in this area, but I'm not out of the woods yet, as many pregnant women don't develop it until sometime during the third trimester.

Another possibility is swelling. Swollen feet and ankles may become an issue at this stage of pregnancy. Your growing uterus puts pressure on the veins that return blood from your feet and legs. Fluid retention and dilated blood vessels may leave your face and eyelids puffy, especially in the morning.

If you have problems with swelling, use cold compresses on the affected areas. Lying down or using a footrest may relieve ankle swelling. It may also help to swim or even stand in a pool.

Knock on wood, so far, so good on this. I think it helps that I am at home most days--in fact, I think that's been to my advantage on many pregnancy-related issues because I can adjust my body accordingly to what it wants/needs.

Shortness of Breath. You may get winded easily as your uterus expands beneath your diaphragm, the muscle just below your lungs. This may improve when the baby settles deeper into your pelvis before delivery. In the meantime, practice good posture and sleep on your side.

I have definitely been noticing this lately as I go up and down our LONG staircase! (Pray I don't fall. . .thanks!)

Braxton Hicks Contractions. These contractions are warm-ups for the real thing. They're painless and come and go unpredictably. True labor contractions get longer, stronger and closer together. If you're having contractions that concern you, contact your health care provider.

I haven't experienced these yet.

Gestational Diabetes. This is a temporary type of diabetes that sometimes develops during pregnancy. Prompt treatment and healthy lifestyle choices can help you manage your blood sugar levels and deliver a healthy baby.

Anemia. Anemia is an abnormally low level of red blood cells or hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that contains iron. Severe anemia may slow your baby's growth or trigger preterm labor. To treat anemia, you may need to take iron supplements.

Between 16 and 20 weeks, pregnant women can start to feel the baby moving around inside. Toward the end of the second trimester, you may also feel repeated "blips"--your baby's hiccups!

I have not experienced these last three yet, although I mentioned in a previous post that I had this next one.

Bad Dreams. As your baby becomes more of a reality, your dreams might become more startling. Don't freak out if you wake up in a cold sweat -- it's normal to feel a little anxious.

Sex Drive. During your fifth month, you might suddenly feel much more sexual. Your body is manufacturing estrogen in overdrive: The ovaries produce as much in a single day as a nonpregnant woman's ovaries do in three years. And, since the first trimester's nausea and fatigue have tapered off, you might just feel more aroused.

Hmmm, I've actually noticed the opposite! Well, when you feel & move like a whale. . .

Vaginal Discharge. Potentially heavy vaginal discharge is common at the end of pregnancy. If you saturate a panty liner within a few hours or wonder if the discharge is leaking amniotic fluid, contact your health care provider.

Nasal Congestion. Your nose feels stuffy and sometimes you will experience nosebleeds during pregnancy. Your blood volume increases by nearly 45%, which is an amazing increase in volume. It affects the membranes inside your nose, causing them to swell. Try increasing your fluids and talk to your healthcare provider about what you can use to ease your nasal dryness, a cold steam humidifier may help increase the moisture in your home. Increased blood circulation can soften your gums as well, which may cause minor bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth. Make sure you visit your dentist incase you develop "pregnancy gingivitus."

Until recently, I definitely experienced the stuffy nose, and there was one day when my gums bled while I brushed my teeth. I also noticed the other day that a pimple popped in the shower. . .and it took forever to stop the bleeding. Maybe my increased blood volume is also why my foot injury was so bad on my birthday.

Sciatica. Some women will experience this discomfort off and on during pregnancy. It is characterized by tingling, numbness and pain affecting the buttocks, hips and thighs. The sciatic nerve branches from the lower back, down the buttocks and legs. The enlarging uterus and growing baby put pressure on these nerves. Sometimes a simple change in position of the baby may help to alleviate the discomforts of sciatica. If you are troubled by this bothersome and unpleasant discomfort, talk to your healthcare provider.

I have yet to experience that one.

Insomnia. The reasons are numerous. First of all, you cannot get comfortable in bed. You position yourself on one side that took you ten minutes to arrange, and then your hip falls asleep. So, you turn over on your other side, rearranging the pillows again, and then your arm falls asleep. It feels like a never ending battle at times. Another reason is that you may have so much on your mind about the baby, delivery, pain of labor, and being a mom that your mind never stops. Anxiety plays a big role in insomnia. Take a warm shower before bedtime, read a good book before bed, remove yourself from the bedroom where you are having difficulty sleeping. Sometimes a change of rooms will help. Make yourself as comfortable as possible with pillows. Avoid caffeinated beverages and exercise immediately before bedtime.

I experience this problem at least once a week. As of yesterday, I can no longer sleep on my stomach (I know, I was already doing that way longer than the norm) so that makes the discomfort even worse. My body parts are constantly falling asleep these days.

Loose and Aching Joints. Some of you may feel as if your joints are loose or pop or just feel achy. Hormones released toward the end of your pregnancy soften the cartilage joining the pubic bone in front of the pelvis. It allows the pelvis to expand 1 to 1/5 cms enlarging the bony opening for the baby to pass through. This is not the only place that cartilage is found. It is up your back, between your spine, in your ankles and toes, and some women have the sense of achiness throughout their bodies.

Leg Cramps. It hurts so badly that you cannot even move. Try locking your knee down in the bed and pointing your toes or pull them toward your head. You should see immediate relief of the discomfort. This is better than rubbing your leg or jumping out of bed and trying to walk it out. Sometimes you will lose the ability to stand on the leg with which is referred to as a "Charlie Horse." If your partner is there with you, have him try the above technique on your leg for you. Practicing stretching exercises 2-3 times each day (especially before bedtime) will help prevent the cramps.

I have not had to deal with the last two. But the final one I noticed around Christmas: Mood Swings. I was at gordmans trying on maternity clothes, and found some underwear on hangers. When I went back to the dressing room to try everything on, I was greeted not so nicely by one of the employees.

"Miss! Your cart needs to go over here!"

Okay. So I gave the woman my cart and once again proceeded to a dressing room.

"No! You can't just go in there-I need to see how many items you have!"

Fine, no problem. I walked back over to her and she gave me a number for the amount of clothes I had. Then I was finally allowed to go into the dressing room.

After I'd put the first shirt or pants on, I realized that one of my hangers was missing: the underwear. So I walked back out and noticed the panties were sitting on her counter. She was talking to someone and so I reached to pick them up and she tried to snatch them from my hand!

Shocked, I said, "I wanted to try these on, too."

In a very snotty tone she said, "You can't try on underwear!"

I was confused because I have tried on undergarments my entire life and no employee at any store has ever told me I couldn't. "How am I supposed to know if they fit?"

She stuttered for a few seconds and said, "Well you can't try them on."

"Then I don't want them then!" And I threw them at her and walked back into my dressing room and slammed the door!

Now anyone who knows me knows this is not my typical behavior. I've never yelled or thrown something at a store employee before! But I had absolutely no tolerance that day. I almost started sobbing in the dressing room--until I saw a sign above the mirror that said "Leave your underwear on when trying on other undergarments." A-HA! Exactly like I thought! (That's what I've always done before--I would never try them on naked.) At the time, I was in the middle of changing again and so I put on another outfit before going back out to inform her that the sign made it obvious that it was okay for me to try on the underwear, as long as I left my current pair on. But, she was gone (with the underwear) and a very cheerful woman had taken her place. I went back into the room to try on the rest of the clothes but because of my sour mood it was hard to like any of them.

That was my birthday so when I got home is when I sliced my foot on the glass. :/

Anyway, there haven't been any more incidences where I've thrown things or yelled at strangers, but I definitely have more of an "I don't care" attitude since being pregnant. It's like I've lost some of my inhibitions or something. I've been reacting to my emotions immediately rather than thinking about consequences until after the fact.

According to various info scattered across the internet: "It's common to have mood swings during pregnancy, because of hormonal changes that affect your levels of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) and the broad range of feelings you may have about becoming a parent.

Pregnancy can be a stressful and overwhelming time. You may be overjoyed at the thought of having a baby one day, and then just as quickly begin wondering what you've gotten yourself into. You may be worried about whether you'll be a good mom, whether the baby will be healthy, and how the cost of adding a child to your household will affect your family's future finances. And you may worry about how your relationship with your partner and your other children will be affected — whether you'll still be able to give them the attention they need.

Even if your baby is very much wanted, at times you may have mixed feelings about the pregnancy and what's ahead. That's not surprising, considering that the expectations we set for parents are so high these days, and the pressure starts even before the baby is born. You may be constantly wondering: Am I reading the right books? Am I buying the right products? Will I know how to stimulate my child's development properly and build his self-esteem?

In the meantime, your body's changing and you may be feeling unattractive. You may be worried about putting on too much weight or looking "fat" as your body expands to accommodate pregnancy, while at the same time feeling that you can't exercise as much as you might want to or used to.

It's not uncommon to feel like you've lost control over your body and your life during this time. All these concerns may take your emotions on a roller-coaster ride."

Wow, I couldn't have said it better! The good news is that all of these not-so-fun symptoms are temporary. For that final one, it's helped me lately to put complete trust in my body--that obviously it's been able to do all of this miraculous stuff so far, and so I'm going to be fine during the remainder of my pregnancy--as well as when the baby is here. Relaxation can do wonders.

Remember that you will never know everything and that's okay. You will learn what you need to, when you need to learn it. I'm sure there will be something that I look back on in the future and see that life would have been easier had I learned about it sooner. But since when is life easy? I could spend 24/7 reading about every scenerio possible and it still wouldn't be enough. I'd spend my life unsatisfied and constantly searching to fill a hole that is unending. Not my idea of fun. This type of lifestyle is unhealthy to anyone--but especially pregnant women. As you can see from this post, there are enough natural stressors during pregnancy without creating more!

This was originally written on February 5, 2008:

I'm now at almost 27 weeks pregnant and 23 pounds gained. I'm not as concerned, though, ever since I learned on Friday that Logan is developing at a quicker rate than most. I've had major non-stop hunger lately, but there's obviously a reason!

I can also tell I've moved on to another phase of pregnancy because today I'm feeling nauseated again :-( And, I experienced my first heartburn yesterday. I was lying on the couch and all of a sudden the area below my breast bone started burning. It kept getting worse and worse and that's when it hit me--uh, that must be why they call it heartburn. It was weird, 'cuz I thought people got it after they eat, but this was before supper. It actually went away once I ate.

Unfortunately, my stomach is going numb even when I lay down now, so I have two things (that and back pain) when I'm trying to relax. Otherwise, though, those are the only ailments I have these days.

I keep thinking back to my appt. on Friday and how it was another exciting moment in this pregnancy. :-) I forgot to mention that my doctor was feeling my abdomen and said, "oh here is he, hanging out" and that's how she knew where to put the doppler to hear the heartbeat (on my left side). When I feel my stomach it's just a hard wall so it's amazing that she could feel exactly where he was!!!

On Saturday, my mom & stepdad came over and we bought our car seat/stroller :-) We absolutely love it and can't wait to pick it up (it's being ordered from Lincoln, so it'll take another week before we bring it home). It doesn't sound like they make anything better than the Chicco travel system!

On Sunday, we put up the moon & stars wallpaper border in our nursery which is so adorable!!!!

Yesterday I just vegged out, as my energy is still low these days, and am doing the same today. So, I'll continue where I left off on Friday with pregnancy symptoms of the second & third trimesters. Aside from the skin changes, a common one (as you know) is back pain. The American Pregnancy Association says the following:

You are not alone if you are experiencing back pain during your pregnancy. The prevalence varies with reports, showing between 50 to 70 percent of all pregnant women having back pain.

Back pain during pregnancy is related to a number of factors. Here is a list of potential causes of back pain or discomfort during pregnancy:

Increase of hormones – hormones released during pregnancy allow ligaments in the pelvic area to soften and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birthing process of your baby; this shift in joints and loosening of ligaments may affect the support your back normally experiences.
Center of gravity – your center of gravity will gradually move forward as your uterus and baby grow, which causes your posture to change.
Additional weight – your developing pregnancy and baby create additional weight that your back must support.
Posture or position – poor posture, excessive standing, and bending over can trigger or escalate the pain you experience in your back.
Stress – stress usually finds the weak spot in the body, and because of the changes in your pelvic area, you may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.

Back pain may not be prevented completely, but there are things that you can do to reduce the severity or frequency. Here are a few steps you can take to help reduce the back pain you are experiencing:

Use exercises approved by your health care provider that support and help strengthen the back and abdomen.
Squat to pick up something versus bending over.
Avoid high heels and other shoes that do not provide adequate support.
Avoid sleeping on your back.
Wear a support belt under your lower abdomen.
Make sure your back is aligned using a chiropractor.
Get plenty of rest. Elevating your feet is also good for your back.

Here are some other common interventions:

Ice or heat.
Braces or support devices.
Sleep on your left side and use a support pillow under your knees.
Medications used to treat inflammation.
Use a licensed health care professional such as a chiropractor or massage therapist.
----

Just like when I gave the rundown on morning sickness a few months ago, unfortunately I, personally, haven't found relief in these options. But I think that is because my back pain is in a different area than most. I really haven't experienced lower back pain, i.e. the pelvic region. Mine has all been in the upper back, and so sleeping on my side actually makes it worse because the natural thing to do is round your shoulders forward. (I have a body pillow but, once again, that seems to give more support to my lower back.) I also haven't tried the "belt" because that goes around the lower back. Nor do I feel the couple of times I go out each week in my high-boots affect my upper back. Most of the time I am relaxing and getting proper rest. . .I believe my pain is all related to weight gain (especially in my chest area). Therefore, exercises seem the most likely to help in my case, as well as getting a prenatal massage. I am lucky to have an aunt who is a masseuse, although she lives in Kansas City so I can't really use her during this time! However, she was able to add the following:

". . .relaxation techniques, breathing. . .healthy fluids. Be sure you get a masseuse who is experienced in prenatal massage even if you have to drive a ways. An electric heat pad is not the best thing to put on your back for more than a few minutes at a time. It must be set at a moderate/medium temp--never a high setting. Far-infrared heat is the best. . .Consult your doc for referrals. No lifting. . .You may stretch all you can but relaxing those back muscles, sitting, standing, leaning, bending are most important at this time. Let someone help you with the heavier tasks, instead of bending at the back, stoop, kneel or bend 1 knee to reach things lower in cabinets / oven , etc."

All of this talk about back pain is making my back ache now, lol. So I'll finish with other pregnancy symptoms tomorrow :-)

This was originally written on February 1, 2008:

My doctor’s appt. was canceled yesterday because she had to leave for a delivery. Fortunately, the nurse called me before I’d left the house and rescheduled my appt. to today at 4:30. Unfortunately, it turned into the longest wait I've ever had at the doctor's office. Joe & I actually arrived early, like at 4:10. (Bad move: never arrive to a doctor's office early!)

The receptionist at the clinic was glad that I was a patient for my doctor because the other two doctors there had been called out more than once to deliver babies--but she hadn't today. However, the receptionist's smile quickly turned to a frown when she couldn't find my file.

She looked me up on the computer and realized that they'd forgotten to put me on the schedule for today! So, the receptionist called back to the nurses and asked if my doctor could fit me in. They said, "Yes, at 4:45."

By now it was 4:20 and I thought, what the heck I just want to get this over with--so I said that'd be okay, rather than reschedule to ANOTHER day.

I sat down next to Joe and we chatted. . .and chatted. . .and chatted. Pretty soon the busy doctor's office became emptier and emptier until I was the last person sitting there at 5 pm! So I went up to the front desk and asked how much longer it was going to be. There was only one receptionist left and she said "any minute". . .but I was about to go up again at 5:15 when the nurse finally came out to get me.

Joe and I were so relieved as she took my weight, blood pressure, and urine sample. But I should have known when she put me in another doctor's room that our wait wasn't over (my doctor's rooms were all full).

Joe and I were soooo hungry, hot, and exhausted--we couldn't believe it when it got to be 5:30 and then 5:45. We had been there over an hour-and-a-half by the time she finally came in! She apologized tremendously--I told her it wasn't her fault, I wish that the staff would have told me that she was way behind schedule and then I would have just rescheduled, rather than think I could get in just 15 minutes later. Apparently her first 20 patients that day all had major problems. It was two hours later by the time we left.

Oh well, my appointment was easy and I got my question answered about the numbness on the top of my stomach. Supposedly it's pretty common and nothing to worry about. The reason: as the baby gets bigger, more and more organs are pushed upward into the breast bone. The ribs flare out into the nerves, and so the numbness is a sensory thing. When I'm sitting down, everything is being smashed together even more, and so that's why I feel it most then. Apparently it's just on the top skin/surface, it has nothing to do with the baby. Whew.

L.J.'s heartbeat was between 140-150 (she coudn't get an accurate read because, do I even need to say this, he was moving so much). His kicks are getting to sometimes be uncomfortable, but it's still fun (and funny right now--lately it feels like he's running)!

The best news was that L.J. is ahead on his development! He weighs almost 3 lbs and is almost 15 inches long, so my due date may be more like May 2nd now! I had no idea it could go from the 13th to the 9th to the 2nd, LOL! I'm so glad he's so healthy. It really makes the suffering for me worth it if I'm making such a super baby :-)

It's a good thing we started childbirth classes last night, since time is going even faster now! It was from 7-9 pm. We'd never been to the particular hospital before--and it seemed like a really nice place. It’s 25 minutes from here, and we had to park in the south entrance and take the north elevators up to the sixth floor, so we were a couple of minutes late, which I hate (usually I’m early everywhere)! But there were two couples that came in after us, so at least we weren’t last.

I was surprised at how big the class was. I’d say there were about 50 people total. We had to bring two bed-sized pillows, and we saw that other people had put them on the mats laying out, so Joe found two open seats and then a mat in the other area for our pillows. (We were in a big conference room.)

The first hour our instructor basically went over what we’re going through at this stage in our pregnancy. It was nice to be surrounded by all pregnant women! For once I didn’t feel like an odd ball—or so huge! (In fact, I was the smallest because most are due in April, but there are two others in the class besides us who due in May. One is the 5th, I think, and the other is the 17th.)

We all had to introduce ourselves and answer a couple of questions, like what we’re having, etc. There is going to be a baby boom of boys this spring! I should have counted how many, because that is by far the majority of what our class is having.

At 8 pm we took a snack break (they provided drinks and food) and then the instructor talked about labor signs. We didn't have enough time to use the mats for learning relaxation techniques, so that will be next class.

It was encouraging to know that so many other women are experiencing horrible back pain right now, too--and it was easy to see why from a graphic that the instructor showed us. The image displayed how as the baby grows, a pregnant woman’s back has to move to make room for everything. Your posture is forced to change.

Speaking of which, since a couple of days ago I went over the pregnancy symptoms of the first trimester, over the next week I’ll be going over the pregnancy symptoms of the second & third trimesters. I'll start with skin changes. This info is taken from the same book as last time (Your Pregnancy Week By Week.). Aside from acne breakouts (caused by an increase of hormones):

"Your skin may change in various ways during pregnancy. In many women, skin down the middle of the abdomen becomes markedly darker or pigmented with a brown-black color. It forms a vertical line called the linea nigra."

This is what I meant in the title "what's that line?" (I have attached a picture that someone sent in a "forward" about a year ago that I found fascinating. I've heard many women can see feet, elbows, etc. through their stomachs but I have yet to experience it yet. Anyway, this photo shows a light linea nigra.)

I had seen it on pregnant women in magazines as well as on A Baby Story. . .but I was hoping I'd be one of the 10% of women who don't get it. Riiiight. (But according to my mom, she was one of them.) Mine appeared around Christmas and immediately made me self-conscious. Not that I've ever been one to show off my mid-riff anyway, but I wondered if I'd ever be able to wear a two-piece swimsuit again. Fortunately, my doctor said that the line isn't permanent. It's the placenta that causes skin to grow darker in some areas--and that's one of the areas, as well as pregnant womens nipples.

Strangely, the linea nigra appeared just as my "indents" went away. Very quickly after I got pregnant, I noticed indentations form around my rib cage. I didn't know what they were and was worried they'd be permanent, too. They were similar to red lines/marks on the skin when you've been wearing clothing that's too tight--only mine never changed despite my clothes, time of day, etc. . .until I got the linea nigra. Suddenly, the red lines/indents were gone and haven't been back. I think it might have been my ribs separating and my body making room for expansion.

It's scary to see these changes happening and not know if your body will ever go back to the way it was before. Losing weight seems easier than changing your skin!

A lot of women get varicose veins and stretch marks which--knock on wood--I haven't gotten yet. Fortunately, there are over-the-counter products out there to minimize them if these are still noticeable after you've had your baby. In fact, I have been using Palmer's Cocoa Butter since September, as that is supposed to prevent stretch marks. So far, it's worked for me.

If minimizers doesn't work for you, remember that you're probably going to be the only one who really cares about these skin changes. Most people aren't going to be close enough to your body to even notice. There are far worse skin problems out there--people with deformaties, those who have been in severe accidents, fires, etc. Our skin changes are the result of something happy, positive, and very beautiful. Wear your scars like a proud tattoo!