Week 34 - 3 more weeks to go...

34 weeks: Measuring big!

Watch what you say! Your curious baby is listening in to your conversations at 34 weeks -- and might enjoy a lullaby or two -- so go ahead and sing to him. Some say that baby will recognize songs mom sings while he’s in the womb, and may even be more easily soothed by them if he’s used to them once he’s on the “outside.” At week 34, you might breathe a little easier, since baby may descend lower into your pelvis and give your lungs some space. (Ahh!) Of course, some babies don’t do this until the day they’re born, so we’re not making any guarantees. The pitfall of this descent, of course, is even more pressure on your bladder, so be prepared to make even more trips to the ladies room over the coming weeks.

Life Update:

So, I missed last week’s post because our world got a little shaky and a LOT snotty…

Landen’s daycare called around lunch time on Monday because he had a fever of 102.5. I went to pick him up and took him to the doctor. While at the doctor, Landen’s fever jumped to 104 and he decided to have a seizure. Not just any seizure, but one where he quit breathing and seized for 2 ½ minutes. The nurses and doctor got him on oxygen immediately (SUCH a blessing we were there when it happened), but it took between 6 and 7 minutes, after his seizure, for him to begin responding. As it turns out, after multiple tests, Landen had a fever virus and a cold. SO I stayed home with him on Tuesday and Wednesday while his fever remained… I just didn’t feel right leaving him with ANYONE while he was still at risk for seizing (both for his sake AND for the sake of said caretaker). Thursday my mom kept him. Friday we sent him on to daycare.

My sweet little boy, who needed to be held in an upright position in order for him to sleep with his cold, was super generous in that he shared his stinkin’ cold with mommy! So I, in my inability take anything for said cold, returned to work feeling icky and spent every spare second of time sleeping (intermittently switching sides for the snot to drain). ANYWAY, we are all better now and our house has a distinct odor of Lysol

Doctor’s Report:

I did NOT get the news I was hoping for… Brayden is still measuring big; I am carrying him VERY low; I am having fairly regular, strong contractions – not dilated yet (good news, I suppose); my blood pressure is up (150s-160s/90s-110s); and Brayden’s heart rate is up as a direct result of my BP being up. My doctor suggested that I stop working until Brayden is born… I explained that if I am not working, our family has no income… she gave in and agreed to let me continue working, as long as I limit it to no more than 4 hours/day and spent the rest of my day on a “modified bed rest” (aka LOTS of resting, “no strenuous anything, for any reason, at anytime, at all”). We are hoping that by my modified schedule and extra rest, that I can make it to 37 weeks (this COULD be a leap-year baby). In the mean time, I have no idea how we are possibly going to make ends meet.

Pregnancy Update:

1. How far along? 34 weeks  0 day
2. Total Weight Gain? 13 lbs
3. Fundal Height? 36 cm
4. Baby Heart Rate? 160s bpm – higher because my Blood Pressure is up and putting stress on his little heart.
5. Baby Bump?  I think the term “bump” no longer does it justice…. Mount Everest is more fitting.
6. Movement? Of course! The little (or big) wiggle worm is super confined, but he still manages to kick, punch, and bump all the time!
7. Cravings? Pepcid
8. Aversions? Almost anything… there’s really something to be said for your stomach being pushed up into your throat… eating just doesn’t sound good
9. Symptoms? Strong Contractions, Vomiting, Moody, CLUMSY, Pains (back, sciatic, leg, hip, neck, etc), Cramps (stomach, back, and into my thighs), Hands and feet swelling, Legs falling asleep, Headaches, TIRED, Forgetfulness,  Blurry Vision, Heartburn/Acid Reflux, and a few very unpleasant unmentionables
10. Sleep? Yeah, right.
11. Gender? Boy! Brayden Daniel Thomas
12. Belly button? In, but VERY shallow
13. What I miss? Being comfortable!  
14. What I’m looking forward to? Finishing some name art for Brayden… I WILL do this before he is born! No longer being pregnant!
15. Concerns? Unpaid maternity leave. My blood pressure. Being unable to work more than 4 hours/day…  because the fact that we can’t pay our bills with my full income (our ONLY income) isn’t enough stress, WHY NOT cut my pay in half as we lead up to an unpaid maternity leave!?!
16. Blessings? Keith, Landen, our family, and our friends! That I’ve made it this far into the pregnancy, and Brayden is still appearing to be healthy!