What's up, Doc?



Mmm Oreo McFlurry!



At my latest doctor's appointment I was anxious (and nervous) to hear the results of my gestational diabetes blood test. I knew that if I failed it would mean a follow-up THREE HOUR TEST and if I failed that one then it would mean changing my diet accordingly -- cutting out sugar entirely I guess. To my great relief she said the test came back normal! Woo hoo! The sugar test and hemoglobin were both good. So I celebrated by going for an Oreo McFlurry at McDonalds (if you haven't tried them, McFlurries are McDonald's answer to the DQ Blizzard, just as good and half the price so I highly recommend them! They even have a snack size for only $2.40 with tax!) Screw it. You only live once.

My check-up went very well. My blood pressure was 110 over 70 which is apparently quite healthy. At my last appointment she told me that I had gained too much weight too quickly. My weight gain has slowed/stalled since then so she said I'm right where I should be now. Phew. She asked if I was eating healthier. I almost said "Yes except for the celebratory ice cream I'm going to have later!" I actually have been making more of an effort to lay off the junk food since my last appointment. But I think the biggest difference is that I've been getting a lot more exercise. Now that the Spring weather is here I have been outside a lot -- weeding, gardening, mowing the lawn. So that's probably good exercise. I've also been going on shopping excursions with Mom. And I've been dancing a lot more. I have the radio on when I'm home and I have been boogie-ing to the songs I like. Dancing was always my favourite form of exercise. I used to go out to nightclubs all the time. Now I just bust a move in my kitchen/living room!

The doctor measured my belly and said it's the perfect size for the stage I'm at. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat again and it sounded great. It's amazing to hear. It's my favourite sound in the world these days, followed by the sound of waves, the cat purring, thunder.

"She moves around a lot" the doctor said. Baby was doing somersaults. The doctor felt my side and said "There's the head, there's her arm..." I can never tell when I feel kicks and jabs exactly what part it is. They all feel the same. "Is that a foot or a fist or an elbow?" One day she was kicking so low it felt like her leg was going to come out! Other times it feels like she's punching up in my ribs. I guess she's stretching while she can. I can actually see the movements now. Looking down at my belly when the baby is active is like a scene from "Aliens!" The doctor told me the baby was almost upside down but keeps moving around. She still has room to change positions. At about 36 weeks her head will drop to the bottom to prepare for birth and she won't be able to move so much. They call it "lightening" but I'm sure it's very heavy on the bladder. I'm making countless trips to the washroom already! It may be a relief on my ribs though. I've been having pains under my chest from the pressure. It's more difficult to breathe these days too. And sometimes the heartburn is really bad. So I guess it's a trade-off. I'll have more room to breathe without the baby crowding my ribs but she's going to be leaning on my bladder so I'll probably be waddling to the bathroom even more frequently. I've noticed I am waddling lately.

I reminded the doctor to give me a requisition for the 32 week ultrasound. She was reluctant to send me for one since everything appears normal and I guess you need a medical reason for an u/s. "I have to know whether it's a girl!" apparently isn't a valid medical reason. I did have spotting (well, one spot) about a week ago so she put spotting as the reason just to make sure everything is OK. When I called the lab they said this will just be a brief appointment, not a one hour one so it will just be sheer luck if I'm able to tell the sex. Please cooperate this time baby! Show us the goods! It's not a priority for the lab. It's a big one for me! Of course there are places you can go for a 3D ultrasound gender assessment and even get a DVD of it but it's rather expensive. I guess if nothing else I'll know in 10 weeks anyway but I really want to be prepared. Either way I have a motherlode of pink clothes so I can only hope for the best!

I got a great deal on an IKEA dresser from Kijiji and they even delivered it and set it up in the nursery for me. It's light wood so it will match the crib, rocker and change table. My sister doesn't want to part with the change table until lil Reggie is potty trained. Hopefully he's ready by July. Girls are much easier to potty train than boys it seems. I guess because girls are more particular about hygiene. He is starting to catch on to the idea though. Now it's just a matter of knowing when he has to go and getting to the potty in time. Apparently he has an easier time with #1 than #2. He'll pee on the potty without a problem. But he runs to hide anytime he has to poop. Not sure why that is. Something about the concept of poop in the potty has him freaked out.

I also got a little bookcase in a birch veneer to match and filled it with books and toys I've collected so far. My Mom was asking the other day if "everything has to be fish?" Yes! The nursery has an ocean theme. You can't just randomly stick a giraffe or an elephant in there.

I've started another mermaid painting. I'm hoping to get the paintings done and get the furniture set up while I have some time off. I'm on vacation for a bit now. I booked this time last year, before I ever knew I'd be getting pregnant. I decided to keep the time anyway because I could use the break. Work is definitely more of a challenge, physically and mentally, being pregnant. Twelve hour shifts on no sleep can get rough. I don't go back until late May-early June and even then I'll only have 12 days left until my vacation which will lead into my maternity leave. Time really is going quickly. People have been telling me to enjoy the next couple of months of freedom while I can. Of course those that are mothers also tell me that the next year will be the best year of my life. It is exciting and I tear up every time I think about holding my baby. Seeing babies when I'm out always gets to me. I've been seeing more newborns and pregnant women out and about than I ever remember seeing before. I'm not sure if pregnancy is just really popular these days or if I'm just noticing it more. Probably the latter. It's like when you buy a silver car and then it seems like everyone else is driving a silver car (especially when you're trying to find it in the parking lot because you didn't pay attention when you parked! D'oh!)

I'm loving the nice weather and will probably be spending a lot of time relaxing on my beach swing.

I'm sure I'll be swinging and rocking with the baby a lot after July. Baby also has her own swing, a gift from my brother, in an ocean theme of course!

I'm happy and grateful for all the gifts and donations I've received so far. Most of the things I'll need for the baby are covered already which is a huge relief. I still don't feel prepared. The whole idea is overwhelming. I really don't know what it's going to be like.

I opted not to go to pre-natal classes for a couple of reasons: they're not free and I figure that most of what they'd tell me I've read in books or can learn online (I've also taken an online class). Mostly I don't relish the idea of being in a class full of happy married couples awaiting their new arrival while I sit there alone. One woman I talked to who was a single Mom for her first child said that the classes were a nightmare. She didn't learn anything worthwhile and she was the only one by herself. She almost felt like an inconvenience to them: "OK class. Everyone sit cross-legged and lean on your partner...Oh you...I guess you can lean against a chair." Yeah, no thank you! I'd rather be spared that. I don't need to feel singled out. It reminds me of when I'd gone to Canada's Wonderland years ago with a group and it sucked when the rides would seat two and I was the odd one out. I remember the ride operator yelling "Any other SINGLES?!" to fill the seat next to me.  

I won't be alone for labour and delivery. I'll have my Mom and sister with me for support and I'll be relying on them for the first few days after birth to show me the ropes! I'm so nervous. I always get butterflies before any big event. A control freak, the unknown is always scary. I always got stage fright, no matter how many times I went on stage. This is the biggest event of my life! It's beyond butterflies. I'm terrified! Of the pain of labour, of caring for a newborn baby. Will I know what to do? Will it come naturally?

I remember when my sister taught me to drive. I chose her because she is the most calming person I know and I felt more safe with her than with anyone. I wasn't even going to attempt to drive a standard. My whole family drove automatic and that's what I learned on. When I very first got behind the wheel I said "No. I don't like this! It doesn't feel natural!" I expected it to feel natural right away. I couldn't understand why you only use your right foot. You have two feet why not use one to brake and one to drive? Driving felt weird, parking felt strange. My spatial perception felt off. I was getting frustrated. "I'll never be able to do this!" But of course with practice, it started to become second nature. I felt comfortable. I imagine it will be the same way with a baby. I'm going to feel awkward at first. I'm going to be nervous. I know that some things don't just come naturally right away. For instance I've heard that breastfeeding is tricky when you start and it really does take some effort for you and baby to figure it out. I have to just cut myself some slack, relax and realize that it's going to be OK. Eventually everything will come naturally. Women have been doing this for thousands of years. I can do this!