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Week 36 - 06/17/08
Last day of work was 06/06/08. This week my husband is in San Diego for the annual Bio conference which I was very tempted to tag along on but being so far along in the pregnancy we decided it was unwise. I'll be going to work tomorrow for a baby shower. I thought quitting as early as I did would result in being really productive at home; thought I'd be "nesting." I keep overwhelming myself, though, and getting caught up in little details that I just stop, nap, and put off my list of things to do. Baby is kicking, shifting like mad! Still haven't felt any contractions (BH or otherwise) like many of the others on this site. All together, I have gained 35lbs....well, more like 37lbs - but whose counting, right?
34th week - 05/31/08
So, I haven't written in a while, but I have been checking this site at least once a week posting comments on the message boards. I finally replaced my camera that I broke back in March, so I'll finally post pics. Seems like everyone is further along in their preparations than we are!
Things we still need:
- A name! We can't agree on any name!
- Bedding - love the stuff at Pottery Barn kids but hubby thinks we should look for a better deal.
- Baby carrier - I think I will go with the Ergo baby carrier as it was ranked number one in a baby book.
- Mayan sling
- We need a stroller and car seat. I LOVE the Orbit stroller but it's a ridiculously over-priced celeb travel system and my husband refuses to spend a grand on it (which I must reluctantly agree with)!
- Letter blocks from Pottery Barn but we need a name first!
- A classic rocking chair - went looking for one today but no luck, will look on-line.
- Bassinet or Moses basket
- Breast pump - My husband thinks we'll get a hand pump from the hospital, doubt it, will check during next appointment.
- Diaper bag - don't really like the one I was gifted (even though I picked it! Looked better in the pic I had seen of it).
- Baby monitor
Things we already have:
- Nursery walls painted and paneled
- Crib (the Larkin from Pottery Barn which my husband very reluctantly agreed to splurge on - I love it! I said I'd give him one more child just to get the crib! He wants five! I'm leaning towards three)
- Three cute wall mount shelves
- A chest
of drawers
- Bunch of clothes and accessories
- Random things: books, bath items, ...etc.
- A small hand-me-down crib which we might keep in our master bedroom.
Here's a list of things I actually like about being pregnant:
- The attention - all the smiles and friendly comments from passers by
- Months 4, 5, 6, and 7- looked the cutest then and felt fairly fine, not tired or achey
- LOVE my hair and nails! Strong, thick, healthy. I'm bracing myself for all the hair that will fall out after delivery though (when that cycle of shedding hair will set in which during pregnancy is delayed).
- The baby's kicks - esp. back in the sixth month when they were so new to me!
- Clothes in the 2nd trimester and some in the third. Loving when I can still (even with this big belly in the 34th week) wear smalls in non-mat clothes - of course it's only with tops and those of which are of fabrics with stretch or tops of flowy styles (empire waist, a-line)
- FOOD - still feel a little guilt when I go over board but don't feel too bad
- Improved skin! I naturally break out (have since I was a teenager), so it's nice that I'm clearer during this pregnancy.
- Getting massages out of hubby
- Having the pregnancy excuse to get out of chores
- No period!
20th week - 02/22/08
Thanks
for the responses to my question on elective c-sections. I will go the
vaginal route. The idea of going through labor and tearing completely
freaks me out. I'm such a wimp that even paper cuts put me to tears!
With hope, the prenatal classes I am about to sign up for will help me
deal with these issues. My superficial side also does not want to have
an expanded canal post-pregnancy. There are kegel exercises for that,
though. Here's an interesting piece done by Time magazine on being "too
posh to push," it was written in 2004. Here's the link:
http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993857-1,00.html
Did you know Madonna, Liz Hurley, Victoria Beckham, and Christina Aguilera (amongst others) have all had elective c-sections?! These electives, for most, were scheduled during week 36 as the baby is good to go and the mom can avoid the additional stretching and weight gain as it is most rapid in the final weeks!
19 weeks and 3 days!! 02/18/08
We
had our big U/S last week. The baby's measurements and our calendar
calculations both came up to 18wks and 5 days so the baby is
progressing exactly as it should! Prior to the visit, my husband and I
decided we wanted to find out the sex. I had a strong feeling it was
going to be a girl - though, I would be happy either way. My husband
also always thought his first child would be a girl. We had even
nicknamed the baby, Pebbles! Once we reached the office, the technician
told me that after she takes the various measurements, she will call my
husband into the room and zoom in on the gender determining region so
we could find out together. During her recording of the measurements, I
peeked up at the screen and saw that the upper right of the screen
read, "Gender: F." I didn't say anything to the technician as I knew we
would discuss gender once my husband came in the room, but my mind was
all over the place! My first thought was, "wow, I guess there is
something to be said about mother's intuition!" Surprisingly, what
followed was a feeling, only for a couple seconds, of slight
disappointment. I guess at some level I wanted a boy but that being a
very common desire for many that stem from patriarchal cultures (which
has always annoyed and offended me), I denied acceptance of that
desire. Or, perhaps, those cultures were able to implant that desire in
me at some latent level(?). Flushed with guilt for having that brief
sentiment, I quickly replaced it with thoughts of the joys of having a
girl, what her hair would be like, and so on, and became extremely
happy again. When the tech called my husband into the room, I was so
eager to tell him that it was a girl, that I asked him in Urdu (our
mother tongue) if I could tell him as I already knew. He said, no, he
wanted to see for himself. So I kept it in and was studying his face to
sense his reaction. The tech then zoomed into the region and said, "so,
what does this look like to you?" We both peered at what I could only
identify as a phallus - it must be the umbilical cord or something - I
reasoned. My husband couldn't make anything out of the image and asked
for the tech's professional opinion, at which point the she said,
"well, these here look like testicles, and this, a penis." A what? Huh?
I don't get it. I ask, "umm, I read the screen earlier and it read,
Gender: F, how could that be?" Her response, "oh, that must have been
your information." Ahhh, so the patient, the pregnant person, me, I am
Female. I see. Again, my mind goes all over the place. I'm excited and
thinking about telling my mom and grandfather (as he had a dream I had
a boy), and begin debating whether I should do blues or stick to
neutrals....
16th Week
We are 16 weeks along with our first child and I
am ecstatic, impatient, nervous, and experiencing pretty much every
type of emotion these days! We were trying for I'd say five or six
months and I must admit I became quite Hitlerian as soon as days 12-20
of my cycle would roll around (I gave myself a large potential
ovulation window). I was quite controlling and everything became very
mechanical in the bedroom! I went through over a dozen First Response
pregnancy
tests, and would begin testing five days before every day 1 of my cycle
and would continue using them until my period would come! One day, I
saw an extremely, extremely faint 2nd line, and thought maybe there has
always been an uber faint 2nd line after using the test that I just
never noticed before. So, to test my hypothesis I sent my husband to
the bathroom and made him use a
test as a control! I was so excited to see that my experiment proved me
wrong and that we were really pregnant!! We're so relieved that the
preconception phase has past but now I'm becoming nutty about
everything else. I just scolded my poor husband for neglecting our
unborn as he has yet to read a book or converse with him/her (well,
asides from rubbing my belly and instructing the baby to kick me, that
is).
Comments on shazia`s Profile
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Comments 51-73 to shazia
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ladobruk -
Friday, 22 Feb We don’t have that choice where I live, but I may need a c-section. I will find out at my next fetal assessment at 37 weeks, but I am dreading it. As much as labor scares me, I would rather do vaginal simply for the recovery. I have had surgery before that cuts through your stomach muscles and it is not fun healing… everything hurts and I mean everything. Sneezing feels like torture.
You really learn just how much your core muscles effect every movement you make!
SHELLS23 -
Friday, 22 Feb I'm definitely opting for a c section. My doc offered me the choice, and I'm scared of vaginal birth for many many reasons. I usually have a high tolerance for pain, but there are so many other factors that scare me in vaginal births. My sis in law had her 1st baby in Nov. I had just found out I was pregnant, and seeing her directly after giving birth helped me to decide. The very next day she said it wasn't so bad, but that is NOT what she was saying in the moment! mrssection8 -
Friday, 22 Feb I'm considering a c-section because my son is measuring on the big side, but I will wait until my 32 week scan before I make a final decision. nicci -
Friday, 22 Feb hi, im having a csection coz my 1st was emegancey section baby was back on back and she got stuck then my 2nd was my own choice and the same this time i find it better 2 now when im having baby so i can get ready and sort the kids out!
good luck with your baby!xx Ama-llama -
Friday, 22 Feb Really cute story. Cant wait to find out the sex myself. :) TrulyBlessed -
Friday, 22 Feb Ur story about the U/S is so funny! I definitely feel you about patriarchal cultures, I haven't found out the sex of my baby yet but I keep telling myself its a girl because that attitude has always offended me too, maybe its just a defense mechanism so I won't be dissapointed. You have only gained 9 pounds, what are u complaining about girl? I think I have gained twice that amount...I know its scary! Determined to lose it all after having my angel, God help me! Take care love, bless ur baby boy!!! AnSo -
Friday, 8 Feb Hi, it is probably still OK for you to keep on running if you have been running before and up to now. However, you have to watch out for injuries as your body produces relaxin, an hormone that relazes muscles and joints. You should also keep your heart rate below 140-150 and make sure you do not get your body temperature up. That is the most important. Hopes this helps a bit... TrulyBlessed -
Friday, 8 Feb Hi and congrats on ur baby :)
I read somewhere that running or jogging is a definite no go cos apart from the toil on ur womb which could cause a threatened miscarriage etc, it also puts some stress on ur breasts. Brisk walking is fine though! I think you are so disciplined by the way, am ashamed to admit that the thought of exercise has not crossed my mind since I got pregnant!
Peace and Love :) mum2-3 -
Friday, 8 Feb Hi, I run - after my son who is 20 months old and has little sense or obedience to come when I call. So I don't have much choice obviously. Then I have to pick him up, about 11 kg, kicking and screaming sometimes. It shouldn't be a problem jogging unless you have discomfort, threatened miscarriage, bleeding etc complications. *littlemama* -
Thursday, 31 Jan

Congratulations Glitter Graphics
magomez13 -
Monday, 28 Jan i thought the same suprise on the 2cnd one...its soo hard though i couldnt and now with my third..i just have to find out...lol..but good luck either way it'll be a good suprise:) Ama-llama -
Sunday, 27 Jan Hello! Thanks for your reply.Yeah, mine started like that and I didnt really think about it, but the more it happened the more it go me thinking (freaking) Let me know if yours gets any worse. Take care :) maky -
Sunday, 27 Jan I just read your post. I found out with both my kids. First one was a girl and second one a boy. I'm on my 3rd and I decided that with this one I will wait until the baby is born to know what we're having. I felt the same way with my first. So I know what you're saying. It will be exciting and surprising all the way through, even knowing the sex ahead of time. Congratulations on your pregnancy! mrs.-jackson -
Saturday, 19 Jan hey there mommy to be. im 15 weeks today . when i went to the dr. on jan 9. i had a u/s done i seen the same thing bout my baby head looks like the shape of my husband's {lol}. we are due on the same day july 11. i guess it is not to early to see the features. b/c my u/s pic as very clear. congrats on your pregnancy. baby dust.... Blessing8168 -
Saturday, 19 Jan 
*Pea~In~A~Pod* -
Saturday, 19 Jan 
margysd -
Friday, 18 Jan Hey, Thank you so much for that link. I am going to tell my husband about that group. We want to get involved with other new parents. This is our first baby, so a lot of our friends do not have children yet, but we want to get involved with other couples that have kids to start incorporating 'kid friendly' social events into our schedule.
I added you to my friend link on this web site, so i hope that we can keep in touch. Good luck with your pregnancy. We are both due on the 11th days, except my date is in June. Take care, Margy margysd -
Friday, 18 Jan Hi, i have actually been looking into that myself. I think this website (and some of the others out there such as Cafe Mom) is great, but i was hoping to find a social group in Philly for moms. Please let me know if you find out about any close to us. I see that you are in Voorhees, NJ, which is right over the bridge from me. Take care, Margy :) veroki -
Friday, 18 Jan check my page out, on it i have my 13 week u/s pic and you can clearly see the nose and face and everything, and i totally showing too, your not weird! margysd -
Friday, 18 Jan 
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