How far along? 30 weeks and 6 days.

Total weight gain/loss:  17.2 lbs.  Not up since last week... maybe some weeks vary?  I hope this is fine.  

Maternity clothes: Yes, and added some tummy support to see if it helps with pain.  Not really.  Haha.  The baby is getting bigger! 

Stretch marks? Not that I know of.  My favorite favorite lotion, Mountain Ocean's Coconut Skin Trip might be helping!  This stuff smells like vacation, truly. 

Sleep: Not so much last night, but I usually sleep well.

Favorite things this week: I just found out that my cousin will be here when the baby comes!  SO excited!!!  

Miss Anything?  Still jealous of hubby's sandwiches every weekend... most recently, roast beef.    

Movement: LOTS, but it is clear that he doesn't have that much space to run around in anymore.  

Food cravings: Cinnamon rolls.  

Gender: Boy.

Labor Signs: None?  Still don't think I 100% know what they are, other than the major contractions I had last time.  Don't have those.  Grateful!  

Symptoms: Lower tummy area pain, but nothing major.  I'm so excited to be nearing 31 weeks, and I do still get nervous about every little thing but so far we are doing really well.  

Belly Button in or out? In!  

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody?  Happy!  And moody, but happy overall.  Might have just found a glider and ottoman for the nursery at my favorite consignment store... white linen with navy piping.  I've procrastinated on all things nursery, and it is too late to order anything specific so this could be meant to be!  

Love, S.

Things I'm Learning About an Early Delivery

I like to be prepared.  I like to have a plan.  Medical surprises are hard to take given William's pregnancy ending in an emergency, so this time around I'm constantly gathering info.  It makes me feel better! 

Most recent info: if you're delivering a baby early (37 weeks, scheduled c-section in my case, and not an elective delivery but a medically necessary one), there's a good chance you'll do a Fetal Lung Maturity test prior to delivery to make sure the baby is ready to come out. 

I haven't actually talked to my doctor about this yet, but know someone else who delivered her two kids at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) with another doctor in my OB's practice, so feel like the likelihood of us doing this testing is pretty high.  SO grateful to her for telling me about it because the procedure is like an amnio, big needle and all.  I've had two CVS procedures, so I know this will be fine but I like to be mentally prepared for big needles.  The advanced notice is fab! 

Here's a link explaining more about the testing:
http://www.pregnancylab.net/2011/01/tests-of-fetal-lung-maturity.html

The authors of the Pregnancy Lab blog I linked to above also point out the risks of elective early delivery, and that isn't something I'm advocating.  My OB believes 37 weeks is the right time for us because William's C-section was done with a classical incision (usually both exterior and interior incisions are horizontal, but in a classical incision the interior one is vertical).  Because of this, ACOG recommendations suggest our next C-section happen between 36 weeks and 37 weeks 5 days. 

I couldn't find the most recent report, but here's one with similar info - the goal is to reduce the risk of rupture, which is more common in cases w/ prior classical incision:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21962624

Handy medical info to have!

Love, S.

28 weeks and 5 days pregnant!

How far along? 28 weeks and 5 days. 

Total weight gain/loss:  17-18 lbs?  Haven't weighed in since my last update.

Maternity clothes: From here on out, I'm probably the queen of how to dress up stretch pants.   

Stretch marks? No.


Sleep: Sometimes.  When the garbage guy doesn't get here at 4am.  When I don't wake up to pee and then get so distracted by baby kicks that I can't fall back asleep.  When sleeping on my side works out.  

Favorite things this week: Since my last prego update post 2 weeks ago, I've been back to work post-holidays and my favorite so far is my positivity New Year's resolution.  I have a LOT to be grateful for and happy about and so many things to look forward to.  Right now, I'm grateful for reaching 28 weeks and looking forward to another ultrasound next week.  

Miss Anything?  Exercise.  Turkey sandwiches with avocado and pickles and hot peppers.  

Movement: Still a lot of kicking!  I'm loving it, even in the middle of the night when I can't go back to sleep.  

Food cravings: Not really.  Still jealous every time someone else gets a tasty turkey sandwich though!   

Gender: Boy.

Labor Signs: None.   

Symptoms: Starting to feel a few pains due to Small Sandifer's weight gain!    

Belly Button in or out? In. 

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody?  Focused on the positive, and grateful I've made it this far with everything looking good.  We're starting to plan the nursery, and not only did I start a registry list but I actually started buying things!!  I know that might seem normal to most, but other moms who've lost a baby will probably agree that baby purchases are really hard the next time(s) around.  But I'm focused on happy stuff and I realized that if this baby comes early, I want to be ready.  

Love, S.

Trying Something New: Preparing for Baby!

Baby Sandifer.  Less than 10 weeks until your scheduled March 12 birthday!!  Sometimes I can't believe it.

Given the very scary ending to my first pregnancy, I haven't been interested in baby prep.  I am as optimistic as I can be, but this probably comes across as more realistic or even pessimistic.  It's hard to hope for the best when William is not here.  But that said, New Sandifer is getting huge.  More than 2 lbs 3 oz (that was almost a week ago now!), he's hopefully flourishing in his little tummy space.

Because he's getting huge, and because I am wearing myself out being worried, I want to try something new.  Less worry. Worry won't change the outcome.

Part of worrying less should be preparing more.  Figuring out what we need to get ready for this!  Allowing myself to get excited about nursery decor.  I don't think I can handle scheduling a baby shower, but I can learn what our New Boy will need when he gets here, and have a plan for getting it delivered ASAP.  Amazon Wish List maybe?

First 6 Weeks
http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-and-mom-gear-for-the-first-six-weeks_5669.bc

Supposedly Minimalist Baby Needs List
http://www.thewisebaby.com/minimalist-baby-registry-guide/
(they also have a good urban baby list - might split the difference since we want small/light/easy to use in the city products)

Diaper-related
http://blog.littlelane.com/cloth-compostable-diapers-bay-area/

I started my research this afternoon and to be completely honest it was overwhelming.  Asking myself to worry less is going to be a process.  I think I almost gave myself a panic attack or maybe the dizzy, out of breath feeling is just another prego symptom.  Either way, success.  I started my research.  I even started a hidden baby registry, which now has 2 items on it.

It's a start, and I'm glad for that.  Love, S.

26 weeks, 5 days

How far along? 26 weeks and 5 days. At our ultrasound on Monday, he was estimated to weigh 2 lbs 3 oz and the doctor is happy with how things are going.  

Total weight gain/loss:  Very close to 15 lbs so far.

Maternity clothes: All stretch pants, all the time!  

Stretch marks? No.


Sleep: Yes.

Favorite things this week: I would have to say that my favorite thing has been a good break from work.  I have been to the office twice (last Monday all day and this Monday for half), but things are in good shape and it has been so wonderful to have lots of free time.  

Miss Anything?  Sleeping on my tummy!  

Movement: Yes!  A LOT!  Grateful for every little (and big) kick.  This kid is a crazy kicker, and I'm loving that.  

Food cravings: Cinnamon rolls, but haven't found any yet.  I refuse to eat a dry-ish one and nothing I've seen looks sufficiently sweet, sticky and covered with icing to do the trick.  Best I don't find one anyway -- 1 hour glucose test just happened and now I'm worried about passing!  Good news though: I don't mind the orange test drink.  It's not good at all, but really just tasted like extra sweet Tang.  

Gender: Boy.

Labor Signs: None, but the doctor gave us a card with a list of preterm labor warning signs a month ago, and I'm definitely looking.  

Symptoms: My digestion has slowed down in the last month or so.  Enough said.  Other than that, I do have bruising from my daily Lovenox shots… I don't get a new bruise from every shot, but when I do it lasts 2 weeks!  The Dr. said that I should be icing BEFORE the shot to constrict the blood vessels.  Oops.  I was icing after, and only if the shot hurt.  I also still have round ligament pain occasionally, but no where near as often as I did a month or so ago.  

Belly Button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody?  Both. Christmas was hard, because I keep thinking that William should have been here with us celebrating the holidays, almost walking, probably more interested in wrapping paper than presents.  I miss him.

Love, S.

Christmas Traditions, William's ornaments

Christmas ornaments are my favorite.  Every year I find one Sandifer house ornament of the year.  Every time we go someplace new for vacation we get a fun ornament as our souvenir: a Buckingham palace guard from London, a river boat from New Orleans, etc.  And for every big milestone I get a Wallace silver sleigh bell with the year engraved.  Someone gave me one in 1977 so I picked up the tradition for Terce and I, getting one in 2008 engraved with our anniversary date, getting one to celebrate the year we bought our house, and so on.  We have ornaments from both of our childhood trees in our collection and very special ornaments my grandma sent from the Met for our bridal shower.  The tree is so special to me.  It is like a little family history.

One of my absolute favorites, from T's childhood.

Last year when William passed away, I knew I would want and need him to be part of the Christmas tree too.  He has a 2013 silver sleigh bell, and my mom gave us a silver angel that says William, 11-2-13.  I love these.  So much.

To continue the tradition, this year William's new ornaments are the cutest Jonathan Adler animals -- an elephant and a giraffe.  I figured that if he was about 1 year old, he would like zoo animals.  I couldn't resist a third one when I was shopping, and got Dempsey a terrier ornament that matches them.

Dempsey willingly sitting with his tree. 

Thank goodness we have a fake one or he might have tried to eat it.

William, we love you and miss you.  All.the.time.   

Love, S.

24 weeks 3 days

How far along? 24 weeks and 3 days today -- He is probably about 1.5 pounds now!

Total weight gain/loss:  Around 12 lb this morning. 

Maternity clothes: Yes, but I did manage to wear normal jeans w/ a Bella Band to dinner the other night!  Felt fancy to wear something other than stretch pants. 

Stretch marks? No.

Sleep: Yes.

Favorite things this week: This week, my favorite thing is just that the week went by.  I've been increasingly on edge as we get near William's birth point (24 weeks and 4 days I think) and I had an especially rough day on Saturday since I have such vivid memories of the Saturday that William was born.  I feel like that day is burned into my brain.  We finished Saturday off with a great dinner at Sociale, and I'm grateful to have a husband who truly gets me on days like that. 

Miss Anything?  Wine.  And cocktails.  Substituting with lots of herbal tea, hot water with lemon, and the occasional almond milk eggnog.   

Movement: Yes, sometimes a bunch of little ones in a row so I wonder if he has hiccups?  And if he does, is that OK? 
 
Food cravings: Not really.  

Gender: Boy.

Labor Signs:  No.

Symptoms: One or two headaches - either stress or not drinking enough water.  

Belly Button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody?  Both. Looking forward to Christmas, a few vacation days, time with family and friends. And wondering if I will be a little bit more relaxed about this baby in a few weeks?? Maybe that's a choice I have to make. 

Love, S.