Week #29 Update

I already provided the biggest update of the week - taking and passing the 3-hour glucose tolerance test! That happened on Tuesday, however, Monday was a holiday and Ramin and I went to the Grizzlie's hockey game at the Maverick Center. We love watching hockey and we had a good time. We like to wear our Colorado Avalanche jerseys when we go see hockey. Here are some pictures of the outing :) After the game we walked over to Cracker Barrel and had a nice dinner together.

The work week was extremely busy for me....it always is when we have a day off for a holiday. It's like you've got to cram 5 days worth of work into 4 days. I feel like I barely had time for myself this week...plus we still had tons of Olympics to watch. 

I also had 2 social events this week as well. Thursday night I went to monthly card class with my friends and we had dinner beforehand. It was fun but exhausting of course because I got home late. I love going to it though. Saturday night my friend Misty hosted a fun game night for a bunch of people, including a few work friends. I stayed out late for that as well.

This coming week I'm expecting to be EXTREMELY busy with work as I've got to train our Team Leaders in 4 separate sessions, each session is 3 hours long. I really need to prepare myself to ensure I allow myself enough breaks and can have a snack somewhere during the class. It's also an important topic I'm training so there's a lot of pressure but I'm trying to stay positive and relaxed. Once this week is over I'm expecting the next few months of working to be more relaxed. There's been a lot of build up and stress related to this training so I'll be glad when it's over with.

On a happy note, my Crocus flowers have bloomed from their bulbs, they're early like they are every year :)

How far along: 29 weeks, 6 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm actually down 2 from my last appointment thanks to my GD diet changes
Wedding Ring on?:  On...but my wrists and hands are constantly fluctuating with the carpal tunnel I have
Major Symptoms: This week was good, however, last night when I woke up for the bathroom in the middle of the night I got extremely nauseous. This morning after I ate breakfast I felt the same nauseous feeling. I'm thinking that it might be related to the baby moving around inside and pressing on certain organs.....I've noticed I only get that feeling when he's squirming around.
Stretch marks: Yep. My lower tummy is catching up to my upper tummy and has the bulk of the stretch marks now.
Sleep: I now wear a brace on both wrists at night. They really help prevent my entire arm from falling asleep.
Best moment last week: Passing the dang GD test
Movement: Movement is definitely intense now and this week I can feel him squirming around more and more, rather than just feeling kicks. I can actually feel him tossing and turning, etc.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing
Belly button - in or out? In
Labor signs: None
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: Next appointment - March 3rd
Milestones: Passing the GD test

Gestational Diabetes Test Update

Tuesday was a long day for me. I had to call the midwives right when their phone line opened (at 8:30am) and pray that they'd be able to order my glucose tolerance test right away. I called while I was on the way to the hospital (where their office and the lab are). Luckily they have a fantastic receptionist and she got things moving for me quickly.

I arrived at the lab and was happy to see that the same phlebotomists from my previous test were there again. I hoped they'd allow me to direct them and tell them how to take my blood rather than letting them figure it all out again. They were good! I had my first blood draw at 9:05....drank the NASTY orange drink and finished it by 9:15 which meant my 3 remaining blood draws would be every hour at a quarter after - for the next 3 hours.

Here's the nasty orange stuff:

It's twice as concentrated as the drink I had on Friday...joy. The first few times I was able to tolerate the drink fairly well....by this time, however, I was struggling. I wanted to gag more than once. During my waiting in the lobby I watched about 15 other girls come in and get their drink and I always had to look away from them drinking it because it made me want to hurl...seriously. The taste lingers in your mouth for hours and hours, no matter how much water you drink to get rid of it.

The main gal came to tell me that my first blood draw - my fasting one - indicated my blood sugar was a 59. That's a lot lower than the 77 I had back when I did this same test before. It's actually under the normal range...as normal is between 65 and 99.

So I did the 3 remaining blood draws and they went EXTREMELY smooth compared with the previous time. My hand veins cooperated thank goodness and I only had to get stabbed once per draw.

I was able to leave by 12:30 and I made it to work in time for my 1pm meeting :)

Around 2pm I logged online to see if my test results had possibly come in yet - man those guys are quick! They were there and here's what I got:

I love how their online information shows your current results as well as your previous results...it really helps with comparisons. 

So as you can see, my results were higher than they were previously....but still within normal range. They're on the higher end of normal though so that scares me just a bit. The midwives have not called to discuss the results with me so I'm confident they don't see a problem. However, I'm not letting myself out of the woods. I've decided that for the remainder of my pregnancy, and probably for the rest of my life, I need to remain on the gestational diabetes / low carb diet. The GD diet isn't necessarily low carb, but it does advocate controlling carb intake. I really believe my body reacts best to that type of a diet so I'm going to stick to it.

I have my next appointment with the midwives before the end of the month - or possibly the first week of March (I may have to push it back to then due to meetings at work) and so I'll bring up the topic with them when I see them.

For now, I think it's safe to say I'm NOT going to be "high risk" :)

Week #28 Update

As I wrote my blog update last weekend I kind of knew that my belly had "sprouted" a bit but I didn't have an updated picture to share. So, this past Monday as I was getting ready for work in the morning I realized that the shirt I was wearing very clearly showed off the burgeoning bump :) I rarely take "selfies" because I think they're awkward to do, so here is my attempt at one in the bathroom mirror.

Now that I'm into the 3rd trimester I've got cute belly stickers for every two weeks! Here is my official 28-week picture! (Ramin is the photographer for these things)

And finally, on Friday (Valentine's Day) I had my 2-week checkup with the midwives. I also had to do my 1-hour glucose test. The appointment went fine and baby boy is measuring a bit large she told me (although that's OK because by their estimates I was really only 27.5 weeks along when my calculations are 28.5 weeks - this is why I'm not worried to hear he's measuring big).  I heard his heartbeat again - in the mid 140s - and I just love it every time I hear it :)

Here is the awful sugar drink I have to take for the glucose test. Keep in mind, most pregnant women only have to do this once. This, in fact, was my 3rd time because if you recall, I had to do this test early on in pregnancy, around week 8 I believe. I failed the 1-hour test and had to do it again for the 3-hour test.

Well, as things turn out, I'm going to have to do it for yet a 4th time because I failed Friday's 1-hour test :-(  Here is what my result looked like:

You can see that back in September I scored a 149 and Friday I scored 147. A bit better of course but still out of range. So tomorrow morning I will go back and take the 3-hour test. If 2 of the 4 results (1 fasting measurement and 3 measurements at every hour) then I'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Last time I did pass the 3-hour test with flying colors. I can only hope I have the same result this time!

I've been monitoring my diet carefully since Friday after I got this result back. I'm eating very high protein all day long and limiting my carb intake. It's hard to focus so intently on my diet again, but it's something I've got to do for the health of baby boy and myself. It's just a fact of life about how my body works.

I'll post the update of the 3-hour test tomorrow.

How far along: 29 weeks, 1 day (again, I'm a day late because of a holiday hehe)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: When I went in for my appointment on Friday I was up 3 pounds, but since I've been on my strict protein diet, I've actually lost it. My goal is to remain even and steady for my next appointment.
Wedding Ring on?:  Had a day last week where it was noticeable to put my wedding ring on....every hour is different.
Major Symptoms: Nothing stands out this week.
Stretch marks: Yep.
Sleep: Still waiting for my left hand wrist brace to arrive. I toss and turn A LOT at night and it's hard for me to sleep in, even though I want to...my back and hips just ache too much in the mornings from sleeping in the bed all night.
Best moment last week: Hearing the baby's heart beat again. 
Movement: Oh yes. I LOVE IT! Ramin has been able to feel him once and my mom felt him kick a few times last night.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing
Belly button - in or out? In
Labor signs: None
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: I'm more like dreading the 3- hour glucose test but at least I'll know it's the last one I have go through.
Milestones: Nothing was surpassed this week I think.

Week #27 Update

This week was extremely uneventful. However, I do have a few random pictures of my week to share.

I received my Maternity Parking Pass at work on Tuesday. It officially signifies the start of my 3rd trimester! I also get to park MUCH closer to the building than if I had to park in the regular parking lot - which is really far away from the building. I'm BEYOND thrilled about it too. I've also started to take the elevator more frequently at work as well, especially when I'm carrying my laptop and/or gym bag.

Tuesday or Wednesday I also ran into a freak snowstorm on the way home from work. Here's what the view out of my windshield looked like at one point while I waited at a stop light. Snow like this makes me extremely nervous to drive in (more so because of the other people), especially now that I'm pregnant.

This week I also had a goal of exercising more....and I did go for a nice walk in the sun Monday evening, but Tuesday - Thursday I had such bad back pain and aches that I felt like it was causing some Braxton Hicks and I really felt like I needed to just rest when I got home. By Friday I decided I better start wearing my maternity belt that came with my lot of maternity clothesI bought a while ago. LET ME TELL YOU - that thing is a life saver! All day Friday at work I felt so much better wearing it while sitting all day and walking to meetings, etc. I felt so good by the afternoon that I finally felt like it was time to get on the treadmill like I planned. This isn't the best picture but I took a quick snapshot while I was walking.

Finally, Friday marked the opening of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Ramin and I always watch everything we can when the Olympics roll around. This year is no different. So Saturday morning, while watching skiing and figure skating, I made some Valentine's cards and these cute placards that came from a kit. It was fun to make something because I don't always have the motivation to do it lately.

How far along: 27 weeks, 6 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure, I've been trying to be good this week but I'm not sure. 
Wedding Ring on?:  Wedding ring still fits well...my rand hand ring has had to move from my middle finger to my 4th finger.
Major Symptoms: Extremely vivid dreams all week. Achy hips and back through the week (unless I wear the maternity belt).
Stretch marks: Unfortunately yes.
Sleep: It's been pretty good this week. I need to buy another wrist brace for my left arm becausei it's falling asleep more and more in the night.
Best moment last week: Getting my maternity parking pass!
Movement: Still a lot. I love it so much! One night after waking to go to the bathroom, I laid back in bed and the baby really started to kick up a storm. It wasn't hard and it tickled me quite a bit...I remember giggling as he was kicking and I was still half asleep.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing
Belly button - in or out? In
Labor signs: No, Braxton Hicks are happening...but those don't count.
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: Getting my next glucose test out of the way - coming up on Valentine's Day!
Milestones: Maternity parking pass is official! Also, moving into the 3rd trimester!

Week #26 Update

Last week I mentioned that I was going to start on a new project to go along with my two pieces of wall art I made for the nursery. Here's what I did:

I bought this 2-foot tall letter "G" and painted it yellow yesterday. We already had a nail stuck in the wall from when it was an office and so I just hung it up there for now to see how it will look. Eventually we'll hang up the pictures to go with it but I'm not quite sure how I want to arrange all of it. At first I was thinking of placing the G in the middle of the two pictures....but now I have the idea of keeping the G where it is and then staggering the two pictures off to the right. We've still got 3 months to figure it out :)

This week I had my 26-week appointment with the midwives. I took a random picture of the exam room while I waiting.

I met with the head midwife, Angela, and I could tell she was a bit more serious than the other ones I'd met with previously. We talked about a lot of different stuff this time and it was good. She asked me if I'd thought about my labor plan and I told her I'd like to sign up for the water birth study that they participate in. She told me I can't officially sign up for that until 36 weeks and even then my participation is dependent on many factors...there are things that can disqualify you from participating, such as high blood pressure.

Speaking of blood pressure, mine was 117/76. That's a bit lower than what it was last time I was there - so that is good. I was up 4 lbs since my last appointment - kind of a lot. We talked about exercising more and I have taken it to heart. I did my prenatal DVD yesterday and today I went for a walk in the sunshine. I really want to make working out more of a priority now that the craziness of the holidays is over. I'm preparing myself to say "no" more to friends when they ask me to participate in events/outings so that I can take better care of myself. Sometimes when I stay out too late on a weeknight I end up feeling so fatigued for a few days afterward that it's hard to catch up. So, my plan is to try and aim for walking on the treadmill at work at least 3 times per week. And then doing my prenatal DVD once per weekend. And each night I'm already doing preparatory stretching and exercises that will prepare me for birth - Ramin is even involved in helping me. The main thing I'm working on is strengthening my legs to stay in a full squat on the floor for multiple minutes at a time.

We listened to the baby's heart beat (which was really easy for her to find) and it was 145 beats per minute. I love hearing it every time :)  She also told me that from now on I get to have an appointment every 2 weeks until the last month, where I need to go every week. I'm very excited about this! Even though the birth is still 3 months away, I really feel like an actual pregnant woman :P

How far along: 26weeks, 6 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Angela calculated for me that I am up 17 lbs since my first appointment. It's not so bad but since I was overweight to begin with I really want to focus on making sure I don't go too much higher. 

Wedding Ring on?:  Yep

Major Symptoms: Achy back, especially at night. Doing my stretching really helps alleviate the discomfort. 

Stretch marks: Unfortunately yes.

Sleep: Sleep is hit and miss, sometimes it's good, other times it's not. I asked Angela about sleeping on my back and she said it was fine until about the last month where my uterus really will be too heavy and compress the blood circulation. So I don't feel so  bad about it anymore. 

Best moment last week: Hearing baby's heartbeat at my appointment
Movement: LOADS. On my way to my appointment I turned up the music fairly loud in the car and I started to feel the baby really kick (I hope that means he liked it) and then I felt a HUGE kick right near my upper right ribs. It was the hardest and biggest kick I've felt so far and it startled me a bit. I started giggling to myself afterward because I know right now it doesn't hurt, but eventually it probably will :P
Food cravings/aversions: I've noticed that I tend to grocery shop and buy things I'm wanting to have right this minute and then days later when I look for something to eat I think to myself "why did I want this?"....it's hard to plan out a weekly menu of food because my tastes change so much from day to day.

Belly button - in or out? In
Labor signs: Nope
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: Getting my next glucose test out of the way!
Milestones: Moving into the every-2-week phase for my prenatal appointments AND hopefully receiving my "Maternity Parking" permit at work :)