So I'm not really qualified to be a "pregosaur" anymore since I'm not KU, but I thought I'd post a site that was of help when I was KU with baby shopasaur.
It's always hard when you're shopping for your LO because there are so many options out there-- how do you know which is the safest and best bang for your buck? (Well, that's the problem that Mr. Shopasaur and I had--- we didn't want to spend 1k on something that we could have purchased for 200$, nor did we want to buy something cheap just to find out that it was made poorly, or something of that sort)
This website helped a lot -- they kind of rank things based off of what magazines, online reviews, user reviews, etc. say
One last thing--- congratulations to photosaur and divasaur!!! So excited to read your posts about being KU.
To be completely honest, I kinda sorta miss being KU, sometimes. Hah! I think I didn't appreciate my pregnancy at all-- pretty much b!tched and moaned when people would ask me how I was doing (hated feeling fat and hot, clothes didn't fit but didn't want to buy anything, etc), but the day after Baby Shopasaur came out I suddenly felt an intense longing to be KU again. (NO, I do NOT want another little one anytime soon!) You have your little one all to yourself for nine long months, feeling them kick and move and even get hiccups, and all of a sudden they're out and it's all over.. . oh well. One day [possibly] I will want another one and I will def. view my pregnancy differently. I think I will feel more connected to the next one, if that makes any sense.
Hope everyone has wonderful, healthy and happy nine months. :) Soak it up!
Oh-- one more thing-- ENJOY YOUR SLEEP! I know that it's impossible to really 'appreciate and enjoy' sleep until it's taken away from you, but WOW, sleep deprivation is brutal.
Showing posts with label Shopasaur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopasaur. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Not pregnant anymore. . .
Not sure if this is my last "pregosaur" blog, b/c I don't qualify as TTC or KU anymore! Yep, you heard me. . . as soon as I accepted that Baby Shopasaur would come when she wanted to, she made her arrival the very next day. Ironic, huh? I wish I could tell you which of the many old wives tales we tried actually worked, but I tried so many that it could have been any of them. (Or none of them, for that matter).
Here is a little survey I thought might be interesting-- a recap of my pregnancy
1. Experience any morning sickness? None at all during my pregnancy. Felt like throwing up during labor (after the epidural), but I slept it off. . . and I think the wonderful nurses gave me something to help with nausea
2. The most important question for some women: How much did you gain total? I'll admit, I let myself go. I PROBABLY gained 38-40 pounds. The last appt. I had I gained 37 pounds, and I was supposed to have another doctor's appt. the day that Baby Shopasaur was born, so I'm not sure how much I gained within that week.
3. Exercise? I exercised all the up until about 25 weeks. Mr. Shopasaur and I would walk about a mile 3 times a week, or I would elliptical for 20 minutes. I also walked at the very, very end of my pregnancy, hoping to get the little booger out.
4. Cravings? Nothing specific. When people ask me this, I tell them that I craved everything in sight. I ate ice cream, cake, pie, cookies, poptarts (had a strawberry poptart and milk almost every.single.day since I found out I was KU)
5. Did you take a babymoon? Not officially, but I did fly to Vegas very early into my pregnancy for work and Mr. Shopasaur met up with me. We went to a few bars and I drank soda.
6. Stretch marks? I was relatively lucky and had NO stretch marks until the very last week of pregnancy. . . all around my belly button. Ick. Nothing too severe though.
7. Did you take the epidural? I did. I took it early and didn't feel ANY pain throughout the labor. I didn't like not being able to move my legs (or feel them, for that matter). I couldn't even move myself up or down/side to side, but it's hard to compare because I don't know how painful the actual labor would have been w.o it.
8. How long were you in labor for? My water broke at 4:30 in the morning and Baby Shopasaur came out at 7:35pm. It was a long day of WAITING.
9. What was it like to have your water break? From what I understand, not many women experience their water breaking. I went to use the bathroom in the morning, and while I was washing my hands, felt like I had peed myself all over again. Of course, I thought it was discharge or something, so I put a pad on and went back to bed, but I still felt like I was "leaking." It definitely wasn't a huge gush like they show in the movies.
10. Were you still working? Of course. I was 38 weeks and had gone to work thursday during the day and school at night, then gave birth on friday.
11. Any advice for KU women? Nope. Every pregnancy/labor/birth is different--- nobody's advice applied to me and I wouldn't expect my 'advice' to apply to anyone else!
12. Episiotomy? Totally TMI, but yep. Baby Shopasaur was a whopping 8lbs 6 oz and I'm only 5'2". . . there's no way she would have fit without it! I'd say the episiotomy was one of the worst parts of the birth experience as the epidural had worn off by then. :(
13. What now? I'm left with a jiggly, jello-y stomach. Was told not to exercise for 6 weeks due to the episiotomy, but I'm getting anxious the weight won't come off. Lost about 20ish pounds so far, and still have twenty to go!! (Yikes-- should have watched my weight gain a LITTLE closer, eh?) I'm also left with the most gorgeous baby girl in the entire world (though I am a tad biased), with two dimples and grey eyes (am told they will most likely change over time) who is the absolute love of my life, next to Mr. Shopasaur. [He, incidentally has proven to be the most amazing father and husband over the past two weeks. I know now, more than ever, that I married the right person. Hope every KU lady is as lucky as I am!]
That's it, I think. Unless you ladies have any questions about my own personal experience. . . feel free to email or something! Good luck everyone with your pregnancies and TTC. :)
Here is a little survey I thought might be interesting-- a recap of my pregnancy
1. Experience any morning sickness? None at all during my pregnancy. Felt like throwing up during labor (after the epidural), but I slept it off. . . and I think the wonderful nurses gave me something to help with nausea
2. The most important question for some women: How much did you gain total? I'll admit, I let myself go. I PROBABLY gained 38-40 pounds. The last appt. I had I gained 37 pounds, and I was supposed to have another doctor's appt. the day that Baby Shopasaur was born, so I'm not sure how much I gained within that week.
3. Exercise? I exercised all the up until about 25 weeks. Mr. Shopasaur and I would walk about a mile 3 times a week, or I would elliptical for 20 minutes. I also walked at the very, very end of my pregnancy, hoping to get the little booger out.
4. Cravings? Nothing specific. When people ask me this, I tell them that I craved everything in sight. I ate ice cream, cake, pie, cookies, poptarts (had a strawberry poptart and milk almost every.single.day since I found out I was KU)
5. Did you take a babymoon? Not officially, but I did fly to Vegas very early into my pregnancy for work and Mr. Shopasaur met up with me. We went to a few bars and I drank soda.
6. Stretch marks? I was relatively lucky and had NO stretch marks until the very last week of pregnancy. . . all around my belly button. Ick. Nothing too severe though.
7. Did you take the epidural? I did. I took it early and didn't feel ANY pain throughout the labor. I didn't like not being able to move my legs (or feel them, for that matter). I couldn't even move myself up or down/side to side, but it's hard to compare because I don't know how painful the actual labor would have been w.o it.
8. How long were you in labor for? My water broke at 4:30 in the morning and Baby Shopasaur came out at 7:35pm. It was a long day of WAITING.
9. What was it like to have your water break? From what I understand, not many women experience their water breaking. I went to use the bathroom in the morning, and while I was washing my hands, felt like I had peed myself all over again. Of course, I thought it was discharge or something, so I put a pad on and went back to bed, but I still felt like I was "leaking." It definitely wasn't a huge gush like they show in the movies.
10. Were you still working? Of course. I was 38 weeks and had gone to work thursday during the day and school at night, then gave birth on friday.
11. Any advice for KU women? Nope. Every pregnancy/labor/birth is different--- nobody's advice applied to me and I wouldn't expect my 'advice' to apply to anyone else!
12. Episiotomy? Totally TMI, but yep. Baby Shopasaur was a whopping 8lbs 6 oz and I'm only 5'2". . . there's no way she would have fit without it! I'd say the episiotomy was one of the worst parts of the birth experience as the epidural had worn off by then. :(
13. What now? I'm left with a jiggly, jello-y stomach. Was told not to exercise for 6 weeks due to the episiotomy, but I'm getting anxious the weight won't come off. Lost about 20ish pounds so far, and still have twenty to go!! (Yikes-- should have watched my weight gain a LITTLE closer, eh?) I'm also left with the most gorgeous baby girl in the entire world (though I am a tad biased), with two dimples and grey eyes (am told they will most likely change over time) who is the absolute love of my life, next to Mr. Shopasaur. [He, incidentally has proven to be the most amazing father and husband over the past two weeks. I know now, more than ever, that I married the right person. Hope every KU lady is as lucky as I am!]
That's it, I think. Unless you ladies have any questions about my own personal experience. . . feel free to email or something! Good luck everyone with your pregnancies and TTC. :)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Still pregnant. . .
Here I am, 38 weeks pregnant. My baby is not even born yet and already she's not listening to me! (re: previous post)
Interestingly enough, as soon as I hit 37 weeks, DH and I began engaging in "natural ways to induce labor," some of which include:
1. Sex
Semen supposedly contains prostaglandins, which can soften or 'ripen' the cervix. They say whatever got the baby in will get the baby out. So far it's done nothing but given me false labor, which is NOT fun.
2. Spicy food
Spicy food inducing labor is one of those old wives' tales that everyone hears about, but no one personally knows a pregnant woman who ate spicy food and went into labor. Oh well. I ate spicy pad thai one night and spicy pho the next night, and NOTHIN.
3. Castor oil
There are plenty of "recipes" for castor oil that women swear by, but I draw the line there. I refuse. Plus I've read that it can cause lots of painful contractions, with no real labor. It can also cause diarrhea, which just does not sound fun during pregnancy, or ever, for that matter.
4. Walking
Lots of women say that they went for a long walk, went home to shower and had their baby later that night. There's no research or evidence that supports walking will lead to labor, but it's good exercise anyway.
5. Accupressure
Some believe that there are certain pressure points on one's body that will help induce labor. See here for more information
6. Nipple stimulation
Who knows. See here.
7. Pineapple
Pineapple supposedly has some sort of enzyme that can induce labor, but only in large amounts. (??)
Well, we haven't tried EVERYTHING, but we've tried a lot of it (walking, sex, spicy food, pineapple), and nothing but false labor [I started having Braxton Hicks contractions around 34 weeks-- my stomach gets as hard as a watermelon and I can feel intense pressure... but they are irregular and don't intensify]. I woke up today (for some strange reason) in a very peaceful, strange mood and I realized that I don't really believe in any of these "natural induction" methods anyway. My baby will come when she's ready. And most likely, she's in my belly just cruising, not wanting to face the world yet. So while Mr. Shopasaur and I are extremely anxious/nervous/excited to FINALLY meet her, I guess she's not ready to meet us yet. But she'll let us know when she is. :)
Interestingly enough, as soon as I hit 37 weeks, DH and I began engaging in "natural ways to induce labor," some of which include:
1. Sex
Semen supposedly contains prostaglandins, which can soften or 'ripen' the cervix. They say whatever got the baby in will get the baby out. So far it's done nothing but given me false labor, which is NOT fun.
2. Spicy food
Spicy food inducing labor is one of those old wives' tales that everyone hears about, but no one personally knows a pregnant woman who ate spicy food and went into labor. Oh well. I ate spicy pad thai one night and spicy pho the next night, and NOTHIN.
3. Castor oil
There are plenty of "recipes" for castor oil that women swear by, but I draw the line there. I refuse. Plus I've read that it can cause lots of painful contractions, with no real labor. It can also cause diarrhea, which just does not sound fun during pregnancy, or ever, for that matter.
4. Walking
Lots of women say that they went for a long walk, went home to shower and had their baby later that night. There's no research or evidence that supports walking will lead to labor, but it's good exercise anyway.
5. Accupressure
Some believe that there are certain pressure points on one's body that will help induce labor. See here for more information
6. Nipple stimulation
Who knows. See here.
7. Pineapple
Pineapple supposedly has some sort of enzyme that can induce labor, but only in large amounts. (??)
Well, we haven't tried EVERYTHING, but we've tried a lot of it (walking, sex, spicy food, pineapple), and nothing but false labor [I started having Braxton Hicks contractions around 34 weeks-- my stomach gets as hard as a watermelon and I can feel intense pressure... but they are irregular and don't intensify]. I woke up today (for some strange reason) in a very peaceful, strange mood and I realized that I don't really believe in any of these "natural induction" methods anyway. My baby will come when she's ready. And most likely, she's in my belly just cruising, not wanting to face the world yet. So while Mr. Shopasaur and I are extremely anxious/nervous/excited to FINALLY meet her, I guess she's not ready to meet us yet. But she'll let us know when she is. :)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Eviction Notice
I'm approaching 38 weeks-- which means that last week my LO was considered "full term." It also means that she's free to come whenever she likes. I never understood the rush to get the baby out once a woman hits 37 weeks. I think it's healthier and better for the baby if they stay in there as long as possible. & when the baby is ready, they will let the mommy know.
Until now. I have had an amazing pregnancy. No morning sickness, relatively little back pain, no braxton hicks contractions, nothing. I was completely oblivious to the dark side of pregnancy (minus the INSANE weight gain) until I hit about 36 weeks and sh!t hit the fan.
I am up 35+ pounds, my fingers, feet and ankles have swelled so much they feel like if you stick a needle in them they will explode and it is HOT. I mean, so hot that I want to be nude 24/7. & it's only the beginning of summer! Generally, I am the type of girl that can get away with just wearing shorts and a tank top and I'll be fine, but this summer it's already 86 degrees and Mr. Shopasaur and I had to go out and buy an A/C to accommodate for the sweltering heat. :(
As for progress goes, what I know is that I am 2cm dilated and that my cervix has started to soften/thin & I think that I've lost my mucous plug. (TMI?! Apologies, at this point NOTHING is TMI for me) My doctor, however, is not the type to tell me that I have "less than a week" left or that I'll "go to the end." She just believes babies come when they like, regardless of dilation, etc.
Basically it means I'm in playing the worst waiting game of my life. So... this is for my little one:
EVICTION NOTICE Date:
May 11, 2009
To: Baby Shopasaur
May 11, 2009
To: Baby Shopasaur
To the above tenant in possession of below described premises: I am issuing a 3 day notice for EVICTION. You will have 3 days in which you can either gather your belongings and promptly vacate the premises, or wait until the final day. After which, you will be physically removed from the property. You are being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the FRONT of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made! Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor was changing the initial layout and base structure. And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper AND lower levels of the home. On top of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances. After 3 days from this day that you don't comply with the notice will result in immediate and forceful removal at my discretion.
Thank you for your cooperation
TIME TO GET OUT BABY!!!!!!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Where has the time gone?!
I received my BFP sometime back in September . . . completely freaked me out, but May seemed like it was eons away. I was vaguely aware of my changing body; hated the fact that I was packing on the pounds like it was nobody's business; until around 6 weeks ago when I hit the big 3-0 (weeks that is, not years). Suddenly my little "bump" was not so little anymore, and none of my clothes seemed to be long enough to cover.
I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday, but today is particularly important because I have exactly ONE.MONTH until little shopasaur's expected date of arrival. Granted, babies come when they like, but it seems so huge to me, to see it on a calendar, that we at most have a month left.
All of my pregnancy related emails (babycenter, fitpregnancy, whattoexpect) are sending me emails about packing my hospital bag, preparing for labor, being able to distinguish between Braxton Hicks and real contractions--- scary!!!
Not wanting to be completely unprepared, I just started putting things away in my "hospital bag."
Here are some lists you may find helpful:
1
2
3
4
Generally, they all list the same things, but some include/exclude little items that may be helpful (I wouldn't personally know yet!). It seems to depend on what type of delivery you have (C-section versus natural) and if you have any specifications on your birth plan (water birth, etc).
9 months (or 10, if you divide 40 weeks by 4) is a LONG time. I was aware that we were getting closer once we started shopping around for different pediatricians, once Mr. Shopasaur tackled putting the carseat into his truck, after 2 baby showers ...
but packing the hospital bag just makes it that much more REAL. Yikes. In fact, in 4 short days I will begin weekly appointments with my doctor, at which point she will begin doing internal exams to see how dilated/effaced I am (yuck, not looking forward to THAT).
Will update then . . .
I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday, but today is particularly important because I have exactly ONE.MONTH until little shopasaur's expected date of arrival. Granted, babies come when they like, but it seems so huge to me, to see it on a calendar, that we at most have a month left.
All of my pregnancy related emails (babycenter, fitpregnancy, whattoexpect) are sending me emails about packing my hospital bag, preparing for labor, being able to distinguish between Braxton Hicks and real contractions--- scary!!!
Not wanting to be completely unprepared, I just started putting things away in my "hospital bag."
Here are some lists you may find helpful:
1
2
3
4
Generally, they all list the same things, but some include/exclude little items that may be helpful (I wouldn't personally know yet!). It seems to depend on what type of delivery you have (C-section versus natural) and if you have any specifications on your birth plan (water birth, etc).
9 months (or 10, if you divide 40 weeks by 4) is a LONG time. I was aware that we were getting closer once we started shopping around for different pediatricians, once Mr. Shopasaur tackled putting the carseat into his truck, after 2 baby showers ...
but packing the hospital bag just makes it that much more REAL. Yikes. In fact, in 4 short days I will begin weekly appointments with my doctor, at which point she will begin doing internal exams to see how dilated/effaced I am (yuck, not looking forward to THAT).
Will update then . . .
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Pregnancy shenanigans
I wish I could blog about one topic -- but my mind is just filled with randomness. In fact, I wrote an entire blog the other day and went to edit it and somehow ended up deleting it. I blame it on the 'pregnancy brain.'
Update on the name game:
Nope, Mr. Shopasaur & I are still unsuccessful in naming our little one. But since I've been debating names for so long I have accumulated my favorite name resources and they are as follow:
Nameberry: Wonderful, wonderful site + blog. They also have a great book, "Cool Names for Babies," which I found pretty helpful.
Baby Name Wizard: I also own this book, which has been an invaluable resource. My favorite part of the book is that they suggest names that match your 'naming style.'
---Name Voyager : Allows you to explore name trends (very helpful)
Nymbler: Suggests other names you might like based on what you provide
The Bump: Not the greatest name site, but the ladies on the baby names board are brutally honest [caution: & sometimes rather snarky]
You Can't Call It "It" : Baby name blog
Appellation Mountain: Baby name blog
Much Ado About Naming: Baby name blog
SSA Baby Names: Quite possibly the most helpful website-- allows you to see which names are most popular in the state you live. Of course, the 'newest' list won't come out until May, which might be too late for us.
*One other option to find out which names are being used in the area you live is to look up hospitals in your city-- some of them include pictures/names of recent births*
Mid to late third trimester symptoms:
1. Swollen fingers / feet
I had to finally take off my precious engagement ring. All of a sudden my fingers/feet feel incredibly swollen and uncomfortable. I'm terribly sad about it (I didn't think I would need to give up my rings!), but don't want to panic like I did when my ring wouldn't come off!
2. Backache
This symptom has been plaguing me from mid to late 2nd tri., but seems amplified now. I think it's due to massive weight gain & my huge belly.
3. Acid reflux/heartburn
From what I've read, this is due to the baby/belly pushing stomach acids back up into the esophagus. It's extremely unpleasant, but Tums provides an easy fix.
4. Frequent urination
This seems to be most annoying for me at night. It seems ironic that in the last few weeks you want to savor sleep and relaxation, and yet you're unable to b/c you're constantly getting up to pee!
Starting around 28-30ish weeks I started seeing my doctor every two weeks. Initially I was looking forward to bi-weekly appointments because waiting to hear baby's heartbeat for a month seemed so long! However . . . these bi-weekly appointments are becoming a PITA. It doesn't help that my doctor's office is in town and I live around 30 minutes (without traffic) from town. Starting next week [36 weeks], I will see my doctor every week. It is also the week that my doctor starts doing an internal exam to see how dilated I am! I am both scared and excited that the end is approaching! Excited to meet our little one-- & scared for the entire idea of delivery (possible tearing--- eeep! and just pain in general). I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that in 5 weeks or less I will be pushing a baby out of my body. . . :
Comments from others:
I previously mentioned that pregnancy seems to take away the social filter that people NORMALLY have. Here are some new comments I've received:
You look like you're going to give birth tomorrow!
You really should think about buying new clothes ... the ones you're wearing now are getting really tight! (Gee, thanks ... )
You're getting REALLY big . . . I think you're going to give birth early. (Because everyone is an expert in pregnancy)
Gosh, how much weight have you gained? You got huge all of a sudden.
Ugh. That's all I have to say. The belly-touching doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but the comments continue to baffle me. The last thing a pregnant woman wants to hear is how HUGE she looks. I already feel unsexy, unattractive and just plain uncomfortable. Since when was it EVER okay to ask a woman how much she's gained?!
The end of my rant.
Update on the name game:
Nope, Mr. Shopasaur & I are still unsuccessful in naming our little one. But since I've been debating names for so long I have accumulated my favorite name resources and they are as follow:
Nameberry: Wonderful, wonderful site + blog. They also have a great book, "Cool Names for Babies," which I found pretty helpful.
Baby Name Wizard: I also own this book, which has been an invaluable resource. My favorite part of the book is that they suggest names that match your 'naming style.'
---Name Voyager : Allows you to explore name trends (very helpful)
Nymbler: Suggests other names you might like based on what you provide
The Bump: Not the greatest name site, but the ladies on the baby names board are brutally honest [caution: & sometimes rather snarky]
You Can't Call It "It" : Baby name blog
Appellation Mountain: Baby name blog
Much Ado About Naming: Baby name blog
SSA Baby Names: Quite possibly the most helpful website-- allows you to see which names are most popular in the state you live. Of course, the 'newest' list won't come out until May, which might be too late for us.
*One other option to find out which names are being used in the area you live is to look up hospitals in your city-- some of them include pictures/names of recent births*
Mid to late third trimester symptoms:
1. Swollen fingers / feet
I had to finally take off my precious engagement ring. All of a sudden my fingers/feet feel incredibly swollen and uncomfortable. I'm terribly sad about it (I didn't think I would need to give up my rings!), but don't want to panic like I did when my ring wouldn't come off!
2. Backache
This symptom has been plaguing me from mid to late 2nd tri., but seems amplified now. I think it's due to massive weight gain & my huge belly.
3. Acid reflux/heartburn
From what I've read, this is due to the baby/belly pushing stomach acids back up into the esophagus. It's extremely unpleasant, but Tums provides an easy fix.
4. Frequent urination
This seems to be most annoying for me at night. It seems ironic that in the last few weeks you want to savor sleep and relaxation, and yet you're unable to b/c you're constantly getting up to pee!
Starting around 28-30ish weeks I started seeing my doctor every two weeks. Initially I was looking forward to bi-weekly appointments because waiting to hear baby's heartbeat for a month seemed so long! However . . . these bi-weekly appointments are becoming a PITA. It doesn't help that my doctor's office is in town and I live around 30 minutes (without traffic) from town. Starting next week [36 weeks], I will see my doctor every week. It is also the week that my doctor starts doing an internal exam to see how dilated I am! I am both scared and excited that the end is approaching! Excited to meet our little one-- & scared for the entire idea of delivery (possible tearing--- eeep! and just pain in general). I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that in 5 weeks or less I will be pushing a baby out of my body. . . :
Comments from others:
I previously mentioned that pregnancy seems to take away the social filter that people NORMALLY have. Here are some new comments I've received:
You look like you're going to give birth tomorrow!
You really should think about buying new clothes ... the ones you're wearing now are getting really tight! (Gee, thanks ... )
You're getting REALLY big . . . I think you're going to give birth early. (Because everyone is an expert in pregnancy)
Gosh, how much weight have you gained? You got huge all of a sudden.
Ugh. That's all I have to say. The belly-touching doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but the comments continue to baffle me. The last thing a pregnant woman wants to hear is how HUGE she looks. I already feel unsexy, unattractive and just plain uncomfortable. Since when was it EVER okay to ask a woman how much she's gained?!
The end of my rant.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Waiting . . .
It seems that everything PG-related involves waiting. Although Mr. Shopasaur and I did not TTC, from what I've read, you have to get off of BC, then begin charting. Once you begin charting you wait to ovulate. After ovulation and FWP (hehe), you then have a 2WW (2 week wait for those who are TTC-stupid like me!) to find out if you have a BFP.
Once you get your BFP (if you do get one), you typically wait 8-12 weeks before seeing a doctor. Most doctors don't see a PG lady until they are about 8-12 weeks along. After confirming the pregnancy and finding out if the little one is viable and healthy, you wait again for the "big" ultrasound-- at about 20 weeks.
After 20 weeks, you wait. And wait. And wait. Until your little one is ready to pop out. Actually, there are little milestones within the 40 weeks of pregnancy. After 20 weeks, you wait for 24 weeks, which is "V-day" on thebump, or viability day-- the day that your little one's chance of viability outside of the womb increases dramatically. (This doesn't say anything about the actual quality of life your little one will have, but the chances of them surviving goes up drastically.)
At around 28-32 weeks (depending on your doctor), you go to bi-weekly appointments and at around 36 weeks, weekly appointments.
Well. I'll be at 34 weeks soon and I am not a patient person. Waiting is not fun. Preparing for a baby, yes, is fun. [The clothes are just TOO cute!] But being huge and uncomfortable and knowing that I still have 6 weeks ahead of me is not the most exciting thought. I read somewhere that pregnancy actually lasts 8 months and 2 years because the last month is so long and just seems to draaaaaaag on to no avail.
While I am futless and uncomfortable, I would like to make it clear that I would like my little one to cook inside of me as long as she needs to so that once she's out she is happy and healthy. Afterall . . . if I've gone 34 weeks with her cooking, what's 6 more, right? RIGHT??
Once you get your BFP (if you do get one), you typically wait 8-12 weeks before seeing a doctor. Most doctors don't see a PG lady until they are about 8-12 weeks along. After confirming the pregnancy and finding out if the little one is viable and healthy, you wait again for the "big" ultrasound-- at about 20 weeks.
After 20 weeks, you wait. And wait. And wait. Until your little one is ready to pop out. Actually, there are little milestones within the 40 weeks of pregnancy. After 20 weeks, you wait for 24 weeks, which is "V-day" on thebump, or viability day-- the day that your little one's chance of viability outside of the womb increases dramatically. (This doesn't say anything about the actual quality of life your little one will have, but the chances of them surviving goes up drastically.)
At around 28-32 weeks (depending on your doctor), you go to bi-weekly appointments and at around 36 weeks, weekly appointments.
Well. I'll be at 34 weeks soon and I am not a patient person. Waiting is not fun. Preparing for a baby, yes, is fun. [The clothes are just TOO cute!] But being huge and uncomfortable and knowing that I still have 6 weeks ahead of me is not the most exciting thought. I read somewhere that pregnancy actually lasts 8 months and 2 years because the last month is so long and just seems to draaaaaaag on to no avail.
While I am futless and uncomfortable, I would like to make it clear that I would like my little one to cook inside of me as long as she needs to so that once she's out she is happy and healthy. Afterall . . . if I've gone 34 weeks with her cooking, what's 6 more, right? RIGHT??
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Random thoughts from a KU lady. . .
- Generally speaking, I am extremely easy-going and laid back. Recently though, I have turned into the mad b!tch from hell. Seriously, I have been feeling random flashes of irritation and frustration that my poor Mr. Shopasaur simply has to endure. I know that moodiness is part of the pregnancy territory, but I honestly never thought it would happen to me. All of a sudden, I will start to feel angry and irritated at the smallest of things - - and the rational, logical side of me knows that I shouldn't be feeling this way, but I just can't help it! I sincerely hope for Mr. Shopasaur's sanity (& my own) that this is a passing phase. . .
Mr. Angry (for those who don't know)
- Weight gain. Let's face the facts: once you become PG, you're going to gain weight. In the past, women were told to "eat for two"-- a myth that my doctor quickly dispelled when I had my first appointment after finding out I was KU. In fact, you only need to eat 300 or so calories extra a day . . . which is approximately equal to a tuna sandwhich, or if you are a junk food addict like me, a small bag of Famous Amous cookies. But seriously ... this is hard to do! I mean, can we (or I) help it if my baby craves cookies, ice cream and candy? Even though I have been indulging myself every night with some form of dessert, it continues to shock me when I go to the doctor & the numbers on the scale continue to steadily increase (Who me?! Snacking too much?! It can't be-- the baby must be growing too quickly!) At the rate I am going, I will have no problem hitting and possibly surpassing the suggested 25-35 weight gain guide. In fact, I'm 99% sure I've already passed 25 pounds. What can I say ... we Shopasaur's strive for the best (or the highest). We're "overachievers."
- I mentioned my little name dilemna that we are experiencing. And for all you curious cats, we still cannot come up with a name for this little one. Looks like she'll be one of those babies that will be named once she's out of my belly. I sure hope inspiration hits us (and preferably sooner rather than later)!
[The latest update regarding the name game is that Mr. Shopasaur and I wrote down ALL possible names that we might like on separate sheets. We then compared our lists and crossed off names that we didn't care for. We narrowed the names down AGAIN and came up with Brooke, Addison, Harlow, Skylar, Reagan and Teagan. Feel free to share your opinions!]
Here's my lowdown on our names thus far:
Brooke : Mr. Shopasaur's favorite name. I liked it for awhile, but for some reason, the more time passes, it's starting to lose it's initial appeal. Not a good sign.
Addison: Love the name, but we are hesitant that it will become overly trendy and popular... especially with how popular Madison was. We don't want it to become the next Jaden/Aaden/Kayden/Brayden name.
Harlow: I.love.this.name. However, our last name begins with H and I'm not sure how I feel about the H.H. alliteration. Any thoughts?
Reagan: Pretty name, a little too presidential, but my main issue with Reagan is that it's very masculine sounding.
Teagan: It's Welsh (or Irish, depending on where you search) and it means beautiful or attractive. It's very unique though... possibly TOO unique? (i.e. unheard of and she will be teased for having such a weird name?)
Skylar: This is a relatively new name on our list-- we love it so far. We'll see how long it lasts. :)
- The PG body is capable of miraculous things. I also previously mentioned that I was trying to be grateful for all pregnancy-related symptoms, but here are some I am struggling with.
This 'symptom' is not bothersome to me in any way, shape or form, but seriously, what is it? And why must it be so ugly?
My boobs have started leaking. I realize this is a completely normal phenomenon, but ... my boobs are leaking. This is not fun.
And the rest of my "fun list of symptoms" include the normal-- backache, acid reflux/heartburn (Tums is quite possibly the greatest thing invented) and general uncomfortable-ness. I am rather aware that my state of uncomfortable-ness will only get worse as the weeks go by & so I am extremely thankful that it is tolerable right now.
One last thing--- I am running out of clothes to wear!!! I decided early on I would buy the least amount of clothes necessary to get me through these 9 months. Well, with two months left to go, it seems ridiculous to be buying new tops or pants (I'll never use them again, right?)-- but nothing fits! My tops -- and even t-shirts -- are now too short or too tight around the belly and my pants ... well, they simply don't fit any longer. Luckily Mr. Shopasaur convinced me to buy 2-3 pairs of pants to get me through the next 8 weeks. Ughhhn.
The joys of pregnancy!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The name game
The very first thing that Mr. Shopasaur and I did when we found out we were KU was to think of a few names that we liked and would consider naming Baby Shopasaur [Don't all parents do this?!]. Our first list consisted of one boy's name (Brody) and a few girl names; Bailey, Lily, Jillian. . . none of which screamed out, "THAT'S IT!"
Fast forward 20 weeks and we discovered that Baby Shopasaur indeed, was a little girl.
10 weeks after that, and we're still drawing a blank to what Baby Shopasaur's real name will be.
It's not that we haven't tried to decide on a name-- in fact, in front of me sits "100,000 Baby Names: The most complete, fascinating, and helpful name book you can find"-- & I seriously think that Mr. Shopasaur and I have perused through every.single.girl's name.in the.book. HOWEVER. Every name that was suggested was shot down for various reasons.
For example:
Madison: LOVE this name (so does Mr. Shopasaur!). It however appears that so do fifty trillion other parents in the United States-- and I really don't want Baby Shopasaur to be the next "Stacey" or "Jennifer"-- nothing against the Stacey's or Jennifer's in the world (my best friend's name happens to be Stacey), but I personally know at least 3 of each.
Lily: Beautiful name that could potentially "age" with a child-- but I have an elder aunt with that name and a girlfriend's mom with that name. It also appears to be rising on the popularity charts.
Mia: Our next door neighbor's daughter's name is Mia and idk ... it might seem like we're copying them? [P.S. We live in a townhouse and walls are very thin--- it just seems a little TOO close for comfort]
Sadie: Mr. Shopasaur liked this name when he first heard it-- personally, to me it sounds like a dog's name. He thinks I'm ridiculous for thinking this, of course.
Bailey: Same as above.
Brynn: I liked it, Mr. S. didn't.
. . . and so on and so forth. You get the picture. I'm sure some of you are reading this and think I'm completely insane for being SO picky about a name-- for goodness sakes, who cares, right? And the answer is that I do. I think a name says so much about a child-- and their parents. This article is only one of many that states how important a name is in a child's future.
So where does that leave us? Basically, where we started off 31 weeks ago. That means we have 9 weeks (give or take) to decide on the "perfect" name for our little one-- but if we haven't found it in 31 weeks, I'm at my wit's end that we won't find it within the next 9.
On a more Shopasaur note. . . my fabulous Mr. Shopasaur did buy me the Gucci diaper bag I previously mentioned.
And one last thing: On TheBump many future mommies-to-be talk about a "push present"-- essentially a present for the new mommy for enduring all of the aches and pains of pregnancy. Has anyone heard of this? If so... what's on your push present wish- list? I'll save mines for my next post. :)
Fast forward 20 weeks and we discovered that Baby Shopasaur indeed, was a little girl.
10 weeks after that, and we're still drawing a blank to what Baby Shopasaur's real name will be.
It's not that we haven't tried to decide on a name-- in fact, in front of me sits "100,000 Baby Names: The most complete, fascinating, and helpful name book you can find"-- & I seriously think that Mr. Shopasaur and I have perused through every.single.girl's name.in the.book. HOWEVER. Every name that was suggested was shot down for various reasons.
For example:
Madison: LOVE this name (so does Mr. Shopasaur!). It however appears that so do fifty trillion other parents in the United States-- and I really don't want Baby Shopasaur to be the next "Stacey" or "Jennifer"-- nothing against the Stacey's or Jennifer's in the world (my best friend's name happens to be Stacey), but I personally know at least 3 of each.
Lily: Beautiful name that could potentially "age" with a child-- but I have an elder aunt with that name and a girlfriend's mom with that name. It also appears to be rising on the popularity charts.
Mia: Our next door neighbor's daughter's name is Mia and idk ... it might seem like we're copying them? [P.S. We live in a townhouse and walls are very thin--- it just seems a little TOO close for comfort]
Sadie: Mr. Shopasaur liked this name when he first heard it-- personally, to me it sounds like a dog's name. He thinks I'm ridiculous for thinking this, of course.
Bailey: Same as above.
Brynn: I liked it, Mr. S. didn't.
. . . and so on and so forth. You get the picture. I'm sure some of you are reading this and think I'm completely insane for being SO picky about a name-- for goodness sakes, who cares, right? And the answer is that I do. I think a name says so much about a child-- and their parents. This article is only one of many that states how important a name is in a child's future.
So where does that leave us? Basically, where we started off 31 weeks ago. That means we have 9 weeks (give or take) to decide on the "perfect" name for our little one-- but if we haven't found it in 31 weeks, I'm at my wit's end that we won't find it within the next 9.
On a more Shopasaur note. . . my fabulous Mr. Shopasaur did buy me the Gucci diaper bag I previously mentioned.
And one last thing: On TheBump many future mommies-to-be talk about a "push present"-- essentially a present for the new mommy for enduring all of the aches and pains of pregnancy. Has anyone heard of this? If so... what's on your push present wish- list? I'll save mines for my next post. :)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Being grateful during pregnancy. . .
After reading my debut post on pregosaur, I feel that I gave the wrong impression about my feelings toward pregnancy. While I am getting to the point of uncomfortable-ness (not quite there yet, thank God), I am still amazed and thankful for this surprise that currently lives in my belly.
After reading this blog, I feel utterly and completely rotten for ever having complained about backaches or weight gain (SO.superficial). If you are not a religious person, please take the basic message to heart-- which is, of course, to be grateful for every second of pregnancy-- yes, even the gross/disgusting/unpleasant/uncomfortable moments. [I'm currently struggling with trying to be grateful for the insane heartburn/acid reflux I have been experiencing after ever meal]
After reading this blog, I feel utterly and completely rotten for ever having complained about backaches or weight gain (SO.superficial). If you are not a religious person, please take the basic message to heart-- which is, of course, to be grateful for every second of pregnancy-- yes, even the gross/disgusting/unpleasant/uncomfortable moments. [I'm currently struggling with trying to be grateful for the insane heartburn/acid reflux I have been experiencing after ever meal]
But she really put my attitude into perspective.
On a more "shopasaur" note, please vote for a diaper bag. All superficiality aside, I know how expensive these bags are and how ridiculous it is to spend so much $ on a stupid diaper bag that will most likely get vomitted on or something like that. HOWEVER, I am justifying this purchase with the fact that every mommy I know has told me that they used their diaper bag for 3 years +, and one particular mommy (who owns a Louis Vuitton diaper bag-- $2100!!!) justified that a nice quality diaper bag can be used for carry-on luggage in the future. :) I like that kind of logic!!
Option #1: Not too good at this posting picture action. . . hmmm... Anyway I'll provide the link! (And it would be in black, of course)
Option #2: More expensive than Option 1, but not as "diaper bag" looking?
Anyway, please vote. And back to the initial reason for posting-- count your blessings everyone!!!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Things I've learned while being KU
I'm going to begin blogging by giving a little background info. about Mr. Shopasaur, myself and little shopasaur. First of all, unlike the rest of the lovely ladies of pregosaur, we were not in any way, shape or form TTC. (aka we were not FWP-- did I get that right??) I just so happened to miss a period one month, POAS and got a BFP. Needless to say, Mr. Shopasaur and I were shocked, excited, scared, nervous... pretty much just freaked out. However, we've had 29 wonderful weeks to get over the initial shock and I'd say by now Mr. Shopasaur is rather excited and I am ... excited to be finished with this pregnancy.
Not that I've had it all that bad, really, considering:
- I had no signs of MS
- No cramping
- No bleeding
- No majorly insane stretch marks yet (knocks on wood)
BUT. It's not like pregnancy is enjoyable for me.
Here are a few things I've learned in the past 29 weeks:
1. Pregnancy is actually based on 40 weeks, which if you (like most people do) divide a month into 4 weeks, would make someone pregnant for TEN MONTHS instead of 9. Therefore, when you turn "20 weeks" & someone asks you how far along you are, you can go ahead and answer "5 months," but that would only be correct if you're going by the fact that you're pregnant for 10 months. This is a good website I've used to calculate weeks --- > months. (Right now I'm 29 weeks and it says I'm 6.6 months along)
2. I had no idea that you could gain so much weight in so little time.
3. For some reason, people who are around pregnant ladies lose the censor that they usually have in a normal conversation. For instance, a classmate of mine looked at me and said "So... do you still have ankles?" to which I responded, "Um... pretty sure I still do" and he replied, "Well, you won't much longer. They're bound to disappear." Great.
Another instance: a co-worker began telling me all about the time his wife's water broke and compared it to the texture of PURELL. Yes, PURELL. W.T.F.
4. People name their kids really strange names. And because being 'unique' is so important in this day and age, many people like to make up names, or change perfectly spelled names to create things like "Madysyn" or "Alivia."
5. Mr. Shopasaur would like to add that he has learned that it is extremely important to be patient around a pregnant woman. I blame it on the hormones. :)
6. Having a baby is extremely expensive.
7. Lastly, it's turned our life upside down. We used to be a bar-hopping, beer drinking couple on the weekends who now cannot stay awake past 10pm. We no longer buy as much for ourselves, (like clothes, or handbags . . . although Mr. Shopasaur did splurge and bought me a rather fabulous diaper bag the other day) but rather think about baby necessities like diapers, strollers and cribs. Basically it's completely changed our lives. . .
Not that I've had it all that bad, really, considering:
- I had no signs of MS
- No cramping
- No bleeding
- No majorly insane stretch marks yet (knocks on wood)
BUT. It's not like pregnancy is enjoyable for me.
Here are a few things I've learned in the past 29 weeks:
1. Pregnancy is actually based on 40 weeks, which if you (like most people do) divide a month into 4 weeks, would make someone pregnant for TEN MONTHS instead of 9. Therefore, when you turn "20 weeks" & someone asks you how far along you are, you can go ahead and answer "5 months," but that would only be correct if you're going by the fact that you're pregnant for 10 months. This is a good website I've used to calculate weeks --- > months. (Right now I'm 29 weeks and it says I'm 6.6 months along)
2. I had no idea that you could gain so much weight in so little time.
3. For some reason, people who are around pregnant ladies lose the censor that they usually have in a normal conversation. For instance, a classmate of mine looked at me and said "So... do you still have ankles?" to which I responded, "Um... pretty sure I still do" and he replied, "Well, you won't much longer. They're bound to disappear." Great.
Another instance: a co-worker began telling me all about the time his wife's water broke and compared it to the texture of PURELL. Yes, PURELL. W.T.F.
4. People name their kids really strange names. And because being 'unique' is so important in this day and age, many people like to make up names, or change perfectly spelled names to create things like "Madysyn" or "Alivia."
5. Mr. Shopasaur would like to add that he has learned that it is extremely important to be patient around a pregnant woman. I blame it on the hormones. :)
6. Having a baby is extremely expensive.
7. Lastly, it's turned our life upside down. We used to be a bar-hopping, beer drinking couple on the weekends who now cannot stay awake past 10pm. We no longer buy as much for ourselves, (like clothes, or handbags . . . although Mr. Shopasaur did splurge and bought me a rather fabulous diaper bag the other day) but rather think about baby necessities like diapers, strollers and cribs. Basically it's completely changed our lives. . .
