Perry and the kids have come and gone.  On his way home for lunch, he sent the three littlest ones to spend the day with Deanna and Tyler.  The pastor’s wife and daughter came here to pick up the three middle ones, and he took the three oldest back to work with him.  I’m alone again, in a big quiet house.

Before they left, they inflated the birth pool and hooked the hose to the water heater just in case I want to use it quickly and decide that the 15 minute drive is too long to wait.  At this point, I don’t see that happening.

Contractions are going steady at 7-10 minutes unless I lie down or get distracted by company.  They’re strong enough to make me look for something to lean on as I breathe through them, but I know I have a long way to go.  I’m not sure I would even call this “active labor” yet, although real stuff is definitely happening.  On a scale of 1-10 I want to say the pain is peaking at a 4 or 5, until I remember that the Labor scale is nothing like the I Stubbed My Toe scale.  Then I realize I’d better keep the numbers conservative so that I don’t end up at 27 on a scale of 1-10.  Let’s call it 3, or maybe just 2.5.  Or if I really want to scare myself, it could be a 2.

Other things are beginning to happen too, but if you have no idea what that means you probably don’t need to know.  Let’s just say that regardless of how long it takes, this definitely isn’t false labor.  The baby may be taking his time, but he’s definitely on his way.  Now I just have to decide whether to take a nap while I can even though it will prolong things, or stay up and moving and try to finish this asap.  What if I stay up, and it still takes a long time?  Then I’ll be wishing I had rested while I could.  But if I rest now, I’ll be kicking myself at the end when I realize it all would have been over if I hadn’t been such a wuss early on.  What to do, what to do?

I’ve been puttering most of the morning now, and contractions are holding steady.  They’re staying pretty widely spaced – about 10-12 minutes if I’m sitting, and 6-10 minutes when I’m up and active – but gaining strength.  My back is aching a little with each contraction, so I hope this guy isn’t posterior like Parker was.

I’m thinking I’ll lie down for a short nap after this update, unless the whole family shows up for lunch right as I hit the publish button.  Not that I’ll be expected to get up and cook for them, but I will want to make an appearance and say hi so they all know I’m not dying just yet.  :)

I don’t remember ever laboring in an empty house before, but it’s rather nice.  Without an audience, I feel comfortable practicing a little vocalizing now to get ready for later when things are really intense.  I’m also finding that while the exercise ball doesn’t help with discomfort, it does seem to make contractions feel more productive.  I think I’ll like it until it’s time to get into the pool.  Then there’s no comparison!

Since the last update, I:

• unpacked one three boxes, putting things away as I went
• started a load of laundry, and put away mine, hubby’s and the boys’ laundry from the load that was in the dryer
• vacuumed my bedroom
• voted for The Morning Center.  Did you?  The Morning Center uses mobile units to bring free prenatal care to poor women in underserved areas.  Please vote daily until the end of October to help them win $50,000.  Better yet: vote daily and share some of the cool hilarious memes Perry and other supporters have created on Facebook!  You can find and share these on the Life in a Shoe facebook page.

Is it weird that I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about labor?  95% of me can’t wait to have it done and over, with a warm little bundle in my arms.  The other 5% keeps whispering, “I’m not ready to do this.  Not yet.”

I seem to be having less contractions rather than more as the days and hours tick by, and I can’t remember if that means anything.  Is it the calm before the storm, or a sign that I still have a while to wait?  My next prenatal checkup is Monday.  Will I make it to my appointment, or will I have my traditional weekend delivery?  Or will I go all the way to next weekend?

I seem to be getting more and more absent-minded, or distracted, or whatever euphemistic description helps to excuse the string of dumb things I’ve done lately.  I’m also getting tired of hearing how funny it is that my belly jiggles like Santa’s every time I laugh.  It’s not funny anymore, so they’re seeing the jiggle less and less.  No, I’m not getting irritable.  Why do you ask?

For those who have inquired, I do plan to labor and deliver in the water again, if it works out.  Our new house has an enclosed porch that should be perfect, providing a good level of privacy both from the neighbors and from the rest of our own house, with a bathroom very close.  As you may remember, Parker arrived dramatically and a little unexpectedly while I was out of the water, but I don’t have any reason to expect a replay of that particular scene.

I also plan to post updates throughout labor, and hope Perry will continue to post updates when I’m past caring.  I’m wondering: do you have any preference as to whether we publish a new post for each update, or simply edit and add to a single post throughout the labor?  Speak now or forever hold your peace.

I have one last request.  [Does it sound like I'm about to die when I say that?]  Birth stories.  I love them!  Would you share links to your own or to other favorites?  I’ll try to restrain myself from reading them until I’m in labor, because for some weird reason I find it comforting and distracting (in a good way) to read birth stories.  But…can we skip the horror stories?  If you had incoordinate contractions, a 4 hour pushing stage and third degree tears because your baby was born face-first with both arms over his head, or an emergency that ended in unplanned c-section or tragedy, during labor might not be the best time for me to read about it.

{Ouch}

It’s Monday night, less than 48 hours until the baby’s official duedate.  I’m not in labor – not to the best of my knowledge – but things are certainly picking up in there.  Right in line with my personal pattern, Braxton Hicks contractions are slowly morphing into false/prodromal labor.  They’re becoming more and more consistent, and progressively stronger.  I’ve had nothing convincing yet, but every few hours I get a couple of contractions that are strong enough to make me sit up and take notice.  Then they slip into the background again, noticeable but not imposing.  If things happen the way they usually do, late one night I’ll realize that I can’t sleep and I was having strong, consistent contractions all evening.  Then there will be a baby sometime in the morning hours, with a lot of pain in between.

OK, maybe I’m ready to think about labor now.  Maybe.

Or at least this weekend.  Perry and the older girls are hard at work painting and texturing our new home, and he is really hoping that this little guy will stay put until we move in later this week.  My usual comeback when people admonish me to not overdo it in the final days of pregnancy is, “What’s the worst that will happen? I’ll go into labor?”  Well, this week that is not what some of us want.  I’m home with the little ones packing boxes, but I am on light duty.  This is not just for my own good and comfort, but to maintain plausible deniability if I do go into labor and ruin the schedule.  ;)

{OUCH.  There’s my 2 in a row.  The next few hours should be nothing, right?}

I have a related thought about finding out the gender of this baby, and would love to know if you agree.  I have always gotten very anxious to go into labor about 2 weeks before it actually happens, but I don’t quite feel the same this time.  I keep wondering if it could be because I’m not so eager to meet this guy.

Wait – that didn’t quite come out right.

I mean I feel like I have already met him.  I know he’s a boy, and I’ve seen his sweet face already.  Somehow that makes me feel like I know him already.  I’m eager to hold him, but there is no huge surprise at the end of this labor, so I don’t quite feel the same consuming anticipation.  I know who I’ve been patting and talking to for the last 4 months.  I know the little man who has been kicking my ribs and punching my bladder.  I’m just waiting to hold him, not to meet him.

Do you sometimes find out your baby’s gender ahead of time, and sometimes not?  Do you feel any different as the time for labor gets close?

Belly pic:

It’s late and dark.  I’ll add a pic on Tuesday morning – unless I wake up in labor during the night.  Well, in that case I hope we’ll be posting pics by morning anyway…

Update:
The photo below was taken on the baby’s official duedate, October 17.
I call this, “The Great Pumpkin.”

Baby at 40 weeks:

• 10 weeks: It’s all about the nausea {pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: Feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: The name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: Video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}
• 35 weeks: {pregnancy update}
• 36 weeks: False labor begins in earnest {pregnancy update}
• 37 weeks: Reviewing previous births {pregnancy update}
• 38 weeks: Time to place your bets {pregnancy update}
• 39 weeks: Differences between boys and girls during pregnancy {pregnancy update}

Thanks to everyone who shared their guess about this baby’s specs in the last update!  For those who haven’t yet, I have a new piece of info to help you.  My midwife changed her own guess at my checkup on Thursday.  Just four days earlier she thought the baby was only about 5 lbs, but this time she chuckled and shook her head.  ”No, I feel some meat on him!  I’d say he’s closer to 6 or 6 1/2 lbs.”  That was about 1 1/2 weeks before his due date.  If he’s a couple of days late, that would put him right in line with our other children at 7 – 8 1/2 lbs.

With just one week to D-Day, I’m obsessing about labor – and doing everything I can to think about anything but labor.  Did you watch the new PBS show, Call the Midwife?  The pilot episode is available for free streaming online until December, and the 2nd aired last night (Sunday) so it’s probably available now.  I watched the first and enjoyed it so much that I want to save the next one to watch while I’m in labor.

Of course watching that show doesn’t help me not to think about labor.  Neither does the fact that my sister-in-law who was due the week after me had her baby last weekend.  And sitting on an exercise ball while I type this post?  Not helping.  I have labor on the brain, which makes perfect sense and fits my own theory of Two Week Obsession since I’ll probably be in labor some time in the next two weeks.  Ugh.  Labor.  I like babies, and I like seeing my toes when I look down, but I don’t like pain.

I’m still having lots of false labor, especially every night from 2-6 AM – or maybe that’s just when I notice it most because I really have to use the bathroom but I am too lazy to get out  of bed.

I’m not exactly dying to get it over with, the way most people tend to assume. In spite of my burgeoning belly, I’m feeling pretty good.  Nothing hurts if I move carefully, and the heartburn isn’t bad if I drink plenty of milk.  My family is taking good care of me, so I get all the rest I need right now.  I feel awkward, but endlessly amazed at the miracle growing in my own body.  I’m happy to wait and see when and where labor happens.  But labor is always on my mind, and I can’t help but wonder about the when and where.

On a slightly different subject, I’m becoming convinced that there is a difference between girl and boy pregnancies.  I almost pinpointed it when I was expecting my fourth, but she fooled me and broke my confidence.  Now, with a little more experience under my belt and the chance to compare boys and girls in utero, I’m ready to say it: I think boy babies tend to be less wiggly, but stronger.  They don’t necessarily move as much, but when they do it’s more likely to hurt.  Girls roll and fidget; boys stretch, kick and punch.

The one daughter that I initially thought felt different, so different that I suspected she was a boy, has always been different from our other girls.  She is built with a sturdier frame, and is naturally very strong and muscular.  She has never been overweight, but builds muscle very easily and is stronger than her older sisters who exercise more than she does.  Her Krav Maga instructor is amazed at the natural force of her kicks and punches.

And now that I think about it, Bethany is like that too.  While she has a delicate personality, prone to emotional fragility, her physique is anything but fragile.  While I was pregnant with her, I couldn’t help but suspect she was a boy.  Of course I was wrong and afterwards I chalked it up to wishful thinking (since we finally had one boy, I thought it would be fun to have two in a row), but I think it may have more to do with her build than my own hopes.  In spite of her slow gain right at the start – she was mildly tongue tied and couldn’t latch on properly – she quickly caught up and has been a strong and sturdy little flower ever since.  She was strong in the womb, too, often hurting me when she kicked and stretched, just like our boys have been.

Maybe this is easier to apply in hindsight, but I think I would have had a good shot at guessing correctly for 9 of our 11 children.  I wonder too if the Drano test would have proven accurate for more of our children.  I wish I had learned about it sooner!

What do you think?  Agree or disagree?  Or have you noticed other differences that could help you make a good guess in the future?

Belly pic

Baby at 39 weeks:

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}
• 35 weeks: {pregnancy update}
• 36 weeks: False labor begins in earnest {pregnancy update}
• 37 weeks: Reviewing previous births {pregnancy update}
• 38 weeks: Time to place your bets {pregnancy update}

With just 2 weeks until the baby’s duedate, it’s time to place our bets!  Since we cheated and peeked at our gifts this time, we already know that we’re having a boy.  However, I don’t know where he will be born.  We’re hoping to close on our new home in town this Friday (October 5) and move the following weekend (October 13).  Although my last several babies have been a few days late, my first 3 were early, so we really don’t know what to expect.  There’s also the factor of psychology which can strongly influence when labor begins: while I would think it would be easier and more practical to wait and have the baby in the new house, deep down I probably feel more comfortable with the idea of giving birth here where I have already had 3 children.  The added privacy out here in the country is a big plus, too.  Of course we won’t be putting the birth pool outside on the deck in town, but I’m really hoping the neighbors don’t hear any scary noises from inside our house.

If you want to join the fun, here’s what you should include in your guess:

• Baby’s birthday.  Remember, due date is October 17.  Our babies have ranged from 9 days early to 10 days late.
• Baby’s place of birth: country home or city home?  We hope to move on the 13th, but it is entirely up in the air since we don’t even have a closing date yet.  Yes, hospital is always a possibility, but I have a good track record so far.  :)
• Baby’s gender: Who wants to be a maverick and bet against the sonogram?  You can see the photo here, although you might want to start reading at part 1.  How clear does it look to you?
• Baby’s weight to the nearest ounce. My other children have weighed in between 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 8 lbs. 9 oz.  The midwife is guessing that this guy is on the small side right now, around 5 pounds.  Of course he’ll continue to gain weight until he’s born.
• Baby’s hair color.   We have a pretty wide variety already.  The kids are absolutely dying for a red-headed brother like my brother William and my little nephew Christian, both strikingly handsome guys.

Want to know my guess?  Don’t be unduly influenced, because I don’t seem to have my sisters’ gifts for creepy-accurate dreams and premonitions.  I’m really just guessing, but here’s what I say:

Mom’s guess:  Boy.  7 lb. 2 oz., born October 19 at our new home in the city.  Dark hair.

I’ll add guesses from the rest of the family as I ask them.

Kaitlyn’s guess: Boy, October 20 at city home, 6 lbs. 8 oz., red hair

Megan’s guess: Boy,  October 26 at city home, 7 lbs. 2 oz., light brown hair

Natalie’s guess: Boy, October 19 at city home, 7 lbs. 6 oz., light brown hair

Becca’s guess: Boy, born October 20 at city home, 7 lbs. 10 oz., brown hair

Rachael’s guess: Boy, born at country home, October 19, brown hair, 6 lbs.

Bethany’s guess:  Boy, born October 24 at city home, brown hair, 8 lbs, 4 oz.

I’ll add guesses from the rest of the family as I get them.

Belly pic

Baby at 38 weeks:

• Baby is fully developed.
• The body fat is continuing to build up, baby putting on about 1oz (28 grams) a day.
• The wrinkled skin is becoming ‘baby’ smooth.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}
• 35 weeks: {pregnancy update}
• 36 weeks: False labor begins in earnest {pregnancy update}
• 37 weeks: Reviewing previous births {pregnancy update}

With just 3 weeks (?!?!?) until my duedate and so many contractions lately, labor is very much on my mind.  This week Perry and I were talking about this baby’s fast-approaching arrival, and I found myself reviewing my last several deliveries.  Working backward, they went something like this:

Parker was born posterior.  It was not a bad labor, but the end was very intense and a posterior presentation requires the mother to dilate much more than a normal face down presentation.

At the moment I was pushing Bethany out, the midwife who delivered her insisted that I needed to be flipped around from an upright squatting position to hands and knees, or vice versa.  While the baby’s head was hanging out.  Not fun.  I remember being very angry at the time, and I still have no idea why it was necessary.

 Perry Boy has an enormous head.  The kid looked like Charlie Brown right from day 1.  I don’t remember how big his noggin was at birth, but I do remember that for the first year of his life he was entirely off the charts.  According to the standard growth charts, out of 100 baby boys, his head was bigger than 105.  Ouch.

Rachael was a nuchal presentation, born with her arm over her head.  When the midwife measured her head, I objected.  ”Oh, no!  Put her arm up, just like it was.  I want full credit!”  She thought I was joking, but I wasn’t.

Sarah was born silent.  Not a difficult labor, but no happy hormones at the end to create that warm fuzzy feeling of forgetfulness.

All of my recent labors have had some sort of extenuating circumstances.  And that brings us all the way back to Becca, #6.  I’ve been waiting for another labor and delivery like hers.  I’ve been waiting a long, long time.  I’m facing down my 12th labor and delivery now, and I’m hoping and praying that God will be pleased to give me a simple, straightforward, not-very-intensely-painful labor and delivery this time around.  I want to say that I deserve an easy one every now and then, but I know that’s not true.  None of us deserves anything good.  But our Heavenly Father likes to give us good gifts nonetheless, and I’d be very thankful to receive the gift of an easy labor if He was pleased to wrap one up for me.

In other news, I’m pretty sure I’ve started nesting this week.  It could have something to do with the fact that we hope to move in a few weeks, but it could also have a lot to do with the fact that only 3 weeks lie between me and this baby’s duedate.  In the last few days I have disassembled and completely cleaned the freezer; cleaned, organized and inventoried the pantry; moved one child’s clothes from my bedroom and closet into the little girls’ room; thinned, organized and rearranged the clothes of the 3 youngest children which are still kept in my bedroom and closet; done dishes and laundry alone more times than in the past 6 months; dug out the car seat and baby bed (ok, I had the kids do it); cleaned under all the sofa cushions and vacuumed said cushions before replacing them; cleaned under the sofa; created and instituted a new chore list & weekly menu…I’m sure there’s more.  I’m beginning to think that the last month of pregnancy is the perfect time to prepare for a move!

Belly pic:

Baby at 37 weeks:

• Typically, baby now measures 19.5 inches (50 cm) from the head to the heel.  [I had one that measured 23.75."  What was your longest?]
• Baby weighs up to 7 lbs, and is gaining about an ounce/day.
• more

I read something amazing last week in a book about unborn babies, In the Womb: throughout the pregnancy, a baby’s heart basically functions as a two-chambered heart, largely bypassing the pulmonary system.  There is a hole between the left and right atria that allows the blood to skip the lungs.  At the baby’s first breath a valve snaps shuts, instantly converting the heart to full four-chambered operation.  Over the next 6-8 weeks fibers grow and seal the valve in place, making the change permanent.

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}
• 35 weeks: {pregnancy update}
• 36 weeks: False labor begins in earnest {pregnancy update}

Can you believe it?  I can’t.  Just 4 weeks left until this little guy is due to make his appearance.  The thought is exciting and terrifying at the same time.  I’m looking forward to meeting and holding him, and I’m looking forward to my back not hurting – but I’m not ready to think about labor just yet.  Almost, but not quite yet.  It still sounds more like pain than relief when I let myself imagine what it will be like, or remember how it has been in the past.

I’m hopeful that it will be somewhat less dramatic than the last time.  A nice, straightforward LOA presentation would be nice, with an average sized head and no baby arms raised over the head, and the midwife present and accounted for.  I’ll admit I’m a little nervous by the recent accounts I’ve seen of babies born face first (did you know those moms had to dilate to 13.5 cm. instead of 10???)  I don’t want a notch like that in my birth belt.

Of course I don’t get to choose how it all goes and I’ll be thankful to hold my baby on the outside when it’s all said and done, no matter how it goes.  But can you blame me for hoping?

In the meantime, false labor has started in earnest.  I know the proper name is Braxton Hicks, but these contractions are a step up from the barely noticeable variety that I’ve been having for 3 or 4 months.  These are enough to make me wait if I was just about to stand up, or to make me slow down considerably if I was walking.  Like Braxton Hicks, they come nearly around the clock.  They are enough to make me breathe long slow breaths, though I don’t really need to.  It’s just a reflex.  I hope my body is doing a little prep work and I can go into labor with a headstart, like those ladies who are dilated to 5 cm. without knowing, but I doubt it.  They are enough to remind me that the real thing will be here soon, and enough to make me almost look forward to it.

And now that I am almost looking forward to labor, it make me wonder if there’s any chance I’ll go early.  I don’t think so, since I never have delivered more than a couple of days early.  But I wonder because I do tend to deliver about 2 weeks after I get that “baby will be here any time” feeling, and labor is very much on my mind already.  Does that count?  I seem to recall that I spend a good deal of time second-guessing myself before I really start counting, so the obvious answer is no.  I’m not in the 2 week window yet, and I already knew that.  But will I know when it starts, or will it only be obvious in retrospect?

Have you noticed any patterns in yourself or others that helps you predict when a baby will arrive?

Belly pics:

Just for fun, I had PerryBoy take this morning’s belly pic in the dress I wore to Deanna’s wedding.  It’s actually not quite as red as it looks in this pic – it was a little more maroon.

I know some of you have been very kind in recent weeks and told me I don’t look very big, but just the other day a grocery checker asked me how far along I was.  ”Eight months,” I answered.  Her eyes widened, and she sounded serious:  ”You look a lot closer, like you could go anytime.  That baby is pretty low.”

Baby at 36 weeks:

• Baby continues to gain about 1/2 lb per week.
• Kidneys and liver are now processing waste products; only lungs need to mature now.
• The baby’s body is becoming chubby as fat layers build.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}
• 35 weeks: {pregnancy update}

Last Saturday was our oldest daughter’s wedding, the last big planned event before this baby’s arrival.  Planning a wedding was a fun and wonderful way to pass the time, and the last 6 weeks have flown by!  The next 5 weeks will probably seem much longer – unless they are consumed by househunting.  Although the house that captivated us both at first sight slipped through our fingers while we hesitated, we are still very excited about the possibility of (gasp!) leaving the country for city life and a 10 minute commute.

We’re also planning to fill the next month with smaller events – I have a Groupon for miniature golf for the whole family, and our zoo pass expires soon.  Perry is taking a week of vacation right now, so I’m sure this week will fly by, leaving us with a countdown of less than a month.

I wrote last week’s pregnancy update a few days in advance, so there was no mention of my 4 days of bedrest due to sacroiliac joint dysfunction.  After a month of good behavior, I woke up one day with my lower back feeling stiff and painful.  A visit to the chiropractor fixed the problem, but by the time I reached home just 30 minutes later I was broken again – and it was Friday evening on Labor Day weekend.

By Saturday morning, it was exponentially worse.

I spent the entire weekend (including Monday) hobbling slowly and painfully from my bed to the bathroom and back again, unable to stand or even sit upright for more than a few minutes without a great deal of pain.  The one time I tried to join the family at the table for dinner, I had to crawl back to my bedroom.  Crutches didn’t help, and Perry’s offer to carry me sounded far more painful.  It was humbling, to say the least.

I could have called the chiropractor’s emergency number – his personal cell – and Perry encouraged me to do it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to make the call.  In my muddled mind it didn’t feel like an emergency since I wasn’t in pain when I lay still on my bed.  Besides, the last fix hadn’t lasted long enough to get me home.  Why spend the time, gas, and pay an extra holiday charge for a repeat?

But by Tuesday, I was ready to give him another shot.  This problem just wasn’t going away on its own, and I knew it was an easy fix.  The trick was getting the fix to last.

After consulting my midwife, Perry and I decided that I should visit a massage therapist first to loosen the tortured muscles and ligaments surrounding my joint.  Then we would follow immediately with a chiropractic adjustment.  The hope was that the relaxed muscles and ligaments would allow the joint to remain in its correct position instead of pulling it back out of alignment.

Praise God, it worked.  After the 2 appointments I was able to walk normally, although I was still a little stiff and sore.  On the recommendation of both the massage therapist and the chiropractor I ordered an SI belt from Amazon with next day delivery (thank you, Amazon Prime, for $3.99 next day service).  My biggest, most obvious hope and prayer was to stay well through Deanna’s wedding on the upcoming weekend, and with a follow-up visit to the chiropractor on Thursday I finally felt normal again.

God granted our prayers, and now that the weekend is past I am still feeling fully functional, though a little fragile.  I wear my belt when I have to be on my feet a lot, and my back aches if I’m upright for hours on end.  Of course that’s my signal that it’s time to lie down for a bit.  And while I lie down, I can remember what a blessing it is to be on my feet at all!

Belly pic:

Baby at 35 weeks:

• Baby is now about 18.5 inches in length and weighs over 5.5 pounds.
• Baby’s reflexes are coordinated.
• Lungs are almost fully developed.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}
• 34 weeks: Birth plans {pregnancy update}

Remember when I said I could scare myself by looking at the countdown on my phone?  42 days!!!  Actually it’s more like that scene in The Lion King when the hyenas get tingly at the sound of Mufasa’s name.  ”Mufasa!”  ”Ooh, say it again.”  ”42 days!”  I’m excited, anxious, apprehensive and also just a tiny bit sad at the thought this pregnancy will end soon.  I know we could very well have several more children, but I also know that this season won’t last forever and every pregnancy could be my last.  I certainly don’t fear or dread the end of my baby-bearing days, but I want to savor this miracle just in case it doesn’t happen again for me.

On a lighter note, my sister-in-law is expecting her 3rd boy just one week after our guy is due, and we compared our records last week.  Her first 2 were born a week early, and my last several have been a little late, so nobody has a clue who will deliver first.  Her last baby was born within 15 minutes of my sister’s little boy, so we decided it would be fun to do that this time, too.  Friday will work well for Catherine and her husband, and I nearly always go into labor on Thursday with a baby arriving late Thursday or early Friday, so we both agreed to give birth on Friday, October 19th.  We’ll let you know how our plan works out.  ;)

Belly pic:

 I wrote this post several days ahead of time and planned to insert a new photo here before the post went live.  If you’re reading this, then I forgot.  Soo-prise, soo-prise, soo-prise!

Baby at 34 weeks:

• Baby now is approximately 18 inches long and weighs about 5.25 pounds.
• Fat accumulations plumps up the arms and legs this week.
• Antibodies crossing the placenta help baby develop immunities to mild infections.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}
• 33 weeks: video of baby moving {pregnancy update}

This week I realized with gratitude just how trouble-free this pregnancy has been, especially over the last month.  I do get achy if I’m on my feet too much, but since discovering stretches and exercises to keep my pelvis aligned my back has been almost pain free!  Instead of cringing when I accidentally make my pelvis crack, I stand in comfort and triumph because I purposely made it crack.  It’s a nice change, to say the least.  If I were a feminist, I might say I felt empowered.

Wedding plans for our oldest daughter are coming along nicely, and my checklist of things to do is growing shorter by the day.  I love that she is not stressing about the details and encouraging me to keep the same relaxed attitude!  All the big decisions are done,  major purchases are made, most of the serving supplies are procured, and food plans are nearly finalized.  I even found a dress that doesn’t make me feel like a whale.  It makes me feel more like a cute, graceful cow, and I’m pleasantly surprised to stick with land mammals at this point.  Most of what remains is the actual work instead of planning and preparing, and I’m hoping work will be the easy part.  If you know differently, just leave me in my blissful ignorance.

The fun of planning and the absence of stress has made this a fun week.  The baby is more active than ever even though I keep hearing that he should be slowing down now.  Does anyone think this should be a cause for concern?  Is this kid going to be keeping me awake for the first 6 months and bouncing off the walls for the next 16 years?  In the meantime, I can’t help but feel a little thrill at every movement.  It truly never gets old!  Even when kicks are strong enough to cause pain or discomfort, I can’t help but smile.  I’ll never stop being amazed that God can grow a whole new person inside my body!

Belly pics:

No pic in the Belly Dress this week, but here’s what I’m wearing today.  Please excuse the groggy no-makeup look.  It was early.  Well, it felt early.

Baby at 33 weeks:

• The baby  is now about 4.4 pounds (2 kg) and around 17.5 inches (44cm) in length.
• The baby is using its lungs to practice breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid.
• The baby is drinking about a pint of amniotic fluid a day now and urinating the same amount.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}
• 32 weeks: Exercise, apprehension, and malpresentations {pregnancy update}

Eep.  I don’t know why I get apprehensive, since my labors these days are so much faster and more bearable than the first 4 or 5, but it still happens.  I’m excited about meeting this baby so soon, but whenever I want to scare myself all I have to do is look at the countdown on the screen of my phone: 57 days.  Two months sounds like a lot, but 8 more times to church sure doesn’t.  Also – and this is strange and new for me – the thought of delivering this baby reminds me of how close I probably am to the end of my childbearing days.  I’ve always looked forward to the comparative freedom of life with only older children, but now that the end may be in sight I know that I will also miss this season.  Of course we could easily have 4 or 5 more babies in our future, but we could also have just 1 or 2 – or none.  Only God knows.

I haven’t been exercising much lately – I only walked once in the last week aside from all the errands and general activity – but I’m hoping/planning/thinking about starting T-tapp as soon as I can get my hands on a workout DVD.  Providing the temps stay below 95 degrees, that is.  Call me whiny, but purposely increasing my sweat levels in that kind of weather just inspires all kinds of excuse-making and procrastination in me.

Have you ever used T-tapp?  Is it everything they say it is?  Can you really get a good workout in 15 minutes just a few times/week?  Even when you look like you have a watermelon shoved under your shirt, can hardly see your toes, and have to hold your breath to put on your shoes?  Will I lose inches in my waist?  OK, I’m just kidding about that part.

For a total change in subject, I did some reading yesterday about malpresentations in labor and delivery.  My last labor was relatively fast, even though Parker was my first posterior baby.  I have to wonder how it would have gone if he had been positioned better.  Even faster?  Less painful, perhaps?  I was more than a little disappointed that he was posterior because I walked so much in the last 6 weeks of that pregnancy and because I had a chiropractic adjustment the day before he was born.  At the same time, I was happy to learn that my body could deliver a posterior baby with no notable back labor and with relative ease.  I say relative because of that whole PAIN part.  If you’ve had a few babies, you know what I mean.  Even the “easy” labors HURT.  If yours don’t, just keep quiet because I don’t want to know.  ;)

Anyway, I learned that some midwives believe one common cause of posterior presentation is when mom’s belly hangs out in front, which angles baby’s body in a way that makes it easier for baby’s head to rest in the pelvis facing the wrong way.  They say this is common in women who have had many babies since the uterus is a little more soft and stretchy.  I know this is the case with mine.  While I only measure a little larger than I used to in my earlier pregnancies, I carry entirely differently.

The suggested remedy for this is actually several variations of belly binding that force the baby into a more upright position and aim the head more directly into the pelvis, either during the last weeks of pregnancy or during labor itself.  Interesting, no?  There are other suggestions as well: the standard recommendations to avoid sitting in a slouched position, avoid bucket seats in cars, sit on a big exercise ball, etc.  Basically, the idea is to keep the back straight, pelvis tucked and belly in as much as possible.

My next checkup is this Thursday so I hope to get my midwife’s take on the idea.  I don’t plan to take up belly-binding any time soon, but maybe I could take the extension out of my bellyband holster and position it around my belly instead of under it when I wear my gun.  That would also hide my belly button.  :)

Belly pics

And here is one where I’m not holding in the dress below my belly.  See the tent effect?  Unless I walked around with a hand planted under my belly, this is how I would look in a dress.  This is why I wear skirts instead.

And here is a shot in my everyday clothes, except that I don’t actually like this top and rarely wear it.  I love the colors, but the pattern is just too big and loud for my taste.

Baby at 32 weeks:

• The baby is 17 inches long and weighs 4 pounds.
• Baby’s head has almost reached full birth size.
• During this time the baby sleeps most of the day. The uterus is getting to be a small space for the baby to move about, so you may have noticed a decrease in your baby’s movements.
• Fat layer under the skin is getting thicker. Half of mom’s weight gain now goes directly to the baby.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}
• 31 weeks: Countdown continues {pregnancy update}

We’re counting down now, not just to the baby’s arrival but to Deanna and Tyler’s wedding next month.  I’ve always loudly proclaimed that I like to plan things up to and past a baby’s duedate to help me avoid sitting around the house watching the calendar tick.  OK, so it doesn’t actually tick but I think you know what I mean: the days can drag on forever if there’s nothing to think about but baby’s impending arrival.  I’d much rather have fun plans to distract me.  This way if baby arrives a little late, I get to do something fun while I wait.  If baby arrives on time, I get to enjoy baby’s company and the absence of heartburn instead.  It’s a win-win situation.

Well, planning a wedding in 6 weeks is sometimes fun and always distracting!  So far much of the planning has taken place in front of a computer screen as Deanna and I shop for dresses, explore decorating ideas, look for deals on items we need to purchase, and correspond with friends who have offered to lend us materials and their own services.  Kaitlyn spent a lot of time designing an invitation from scratch, and the 3 of us together have been busily pinning photos and links to our group board of Wedding Ideas.

We have also spent some time in dress shops trying on real dresses, hitting local stores to scope out decorating possibilities, etc.  Deanna has fallen in love with a dress that may or may not work; today we plan to take it to the seamstress to get her opinion on whether it can be altered the way Deanna wants.

All this is to say that Baby Boy is in for quite a ride!  Life was busy before the Whirlwind Wedding plans began, and will be even busier now with just 3.5 weeks to go.  When the dust settles, we’ll have about 5 weeks left to the baby’s ETA.  I’m sure we’ll plan a few low-key activities and outings to keep us busy on and after the due date, but until then we won’t need to worry about staying busy.

Belly pic:

Perry warned me that these pics may be false advertising.  When I put my hand under my belly to highlight it, I also diminish the Beached Whale effect.  That’s the effect achieved by the dress falling naturally from the biggest part of my belly, making it look like the entire bottom half of my body is as big as my belly.  It’s too late for now, but next week I’ll treat you to the usual belly pic plus a photo with the dress hanging naturally so you can see how I really look.  I’m telling you now so you can prepare yourself.  And also so I can prepare myself.

Baby at 31 weeks:

• Baby weighs 3.5 pounds and measures 16.5 inches from the head to heel.
• A loud noise near you may cause your little one to jump.
• Baby may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that they may also prefer some types of music to others at this stage.
• Baby’s lungs and digestive tract are very near to being mature. Now that almost all of the major organs are functioning, growth will focus on maturing those organs and growing muscle mass and fat stores.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}
• 29 weeks {pregnancy update}
• 30 weeks: More than you ever wanted to know about my sacroiliac joint {pregnancy update}

Last Tuesday I didn’t post much of an update because Perry and I were headed to the beach for an overnight trip to celebrate our 20th anniversary on the following day.  It was a wonderful time together, but unfortunately I spent much of it in pain.  Even though I had been at the chiropractor just a couple of days before, my back was so stiff and sore that I could hardly walk on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

On Wednesday, still at the beach, we searched google and found a nearby chiropractor who had experience doing adjustments during pregnancies and could fit me in on short notice.  It wasn’t how I had envisioned spending our anniversary, but I also didn’t envision spending the day hobbling slowly and painfully everywhere I went, or curled in the fetal position on a hotel bed.  He commented that I was way out of alignment, but that I had adjusted very easily, and I left the office feeling better than I had in days.

The relief lasted about 45 minutes.

Since then, it hasn’t been as bad as it was initially but I have had varying amounts of pain and a lot of stiffness.  Since visiting the chiropractor every 45 minutes just doesn’t fit my lifestyle and having the chiropractor move in with us probably wouldn’t fit his lifestyle, we decided to look for alternatives.  My first thought was that maybe Perry could learn to do the adjustment.  I know that sounds scary, but we’re not talking full chiro neck-and-spine-crunching; just a simple pop of the pelvis that I’ve had done several times now.  Maybe the internet would provide safe, clear and simple instructions?

As it turns out, that wasn’t such a crazy idea.  There are several descriptions of the procedure, but better yet there are some stretches and exercises that can help the sufferer – that’s me - to adjust themselves without any external applications of force.  In trying out what I learned, I almost immediately felt and heard a loud POP and most of my pain and stiffness disappeared.  I actually get this pop pretty regularly, but before this I never knew why and hadn’t pinpointed exactly what movements triggered it.

It didn’t stay gone long, but I learned that if I do these stretches morning, evening and several times in between, I can feel about 80% better.  That’s enough to make me very happy!

Here’s a quick overview of what’s causing my problem.  It seems to be especially common during pregnancy, when the hormone relaxin loosens our joints and allows more than the usual range of motion.

The pelvis is made up of 3 bones: the sacrum and two ilia (plural of ilium).  Where they join in the back, you have your sacroiliac joints.  Make sense so far?

The bones fit together with a series of grooves and notches that can vary from one person to the next.  These joints are tightly bound by ligaments and only move a tiny bit, but that very small movement is essential to nearly any movement that involves our legs, torso or pelvis.

Here’s the problem: if your joint moves a little too much – either from being injured or forced or because it is too loose – it’s possible for the notches to “lock” into the wrong position, often with one bone tilted slightly inward and the other tilted slightly outward.  This can put continuous, painful tension on the ligaments and muscles that connect to the area.  They are stuck in a position that stretches them beyond their normal, comfortable range and makes any additional motion even more painful.  It may happen only on one side, but the pain and stiffness can radiate and nearly immobilize the entire pelvis.

When my lower back was hurting so badly, Perry noticed that I had a bony lump on the more painful side.  It wasn’t big or even particularly noticeable, but it was definitely there.  In retrospect it was, of course, the edge of my misaligned sacrum.  The chiropractor was able to easily snap it back into place, because my joints are loose due to pregnancy.  However, the same looseness that makes it easy to fix also makes it easy for the problem to recur.  Even worse, some people believe that repeated forceful adjustments like that can exacerbate the problem by stretching the ligaments and making the joint more likely to slip out of place in the future.

The solution?  Those stretches I linked above.  They don’t get rid of inflammation caused by days of misalignment, but done regularly they will gently help to keep things properly aligned and may help snap things back into place when misaligned.  The inflammation has subsided over the last few days as I do my best to keep things in their proper place.

There are other stretches, exercises, etc that may be helpful if you suffer from a similar problem.  If you are prone to lower back pain, I would encourage you to spend some time on google.  You might find that many of those pregnancy aches and pains can be explained and fixed without spending a lot on repeated visits to the chiropractor.

Belly pics

I am loving all the suggestions for baby names in the comments on last week’s update, The Name Game.  I understand why some of you think it’s odd to call a baby by his middle name, but I know many people who go by their middle name and have never heard them complain, so I don’t plan to rule out the possibility.  I’m also still devoted to our naming pattern, which I think we can make subtle enough to avoid looking forced or cheesy.  There are plenty of choices I (we) love that fit within the pattern, and I’m having fun going through them.  Now if I can just get Perry to discuss the matter before mid-October…but why break tradition?  We can always settle on a final choice after the baby is born.

This update is going to be short and sweet, because I have other things to do today.  Tomorrow is our 20th anniversary, and to celebrate Perry and I will be spending some time together, alone.  Just the 3 of us: Him, me, and our little tag-along who goes everywhere with us for another 11 weeks.  :)  If I’m scarce online for the next couple of days, you’ll know why.

We also have another exciting event coming up in our family that hasn’t been mentioned on the blog yet.  This one takes even more planning than a birth does, so if I’m scarce for the next several weeks, you might know why too.  If you don’t know yet, you will soon!

I had a prenatal checkup last week, and my midwife’s first words when she saw me are forever branded in my mind: “Oh, you look like your belly had a growth spurt!  Do you feel like it?!”  Yes, yes I do.  I’m still measuring 3 cm (3 weeks) big, and I feel every bit of it.  I can’t believe the little guy and I are going to keep growing for another 11 weeks!  When people ask my duedate now, I assume it’s because they are calculating the chances that I am currently in labor.  So am I.  Since I usually go late it’s not very likely, but I don’t blame them a bit.

It doesn’t help that my back has been aching off and on, so I often do that stiff, awkward pregnant waddle – the one that looks like you may or may not be in labor at the moment.  I mentioned to my midwife that aching in my back, legs and torso at night was causing me to toss and turn, and she recommended 2000 mg of calcium before bed, taken with 1000 mg of magnesium.  If I can get all 6 pills down, it’s like magic – in a good way, if there were such a thing as good magic, which there isn’t.  I can make it all the way to 4 AM before the aches set in.  I’m telling you this so you can remind me the next time I complain.  I hope you’re taking notes.

Belly pics

Sorry, no pics of me in the Belly Dress, as 4yo Bethany calls it.  The dress is home and I’m not.  I’m wearing black today because I hear it’s a slimming color.  I wonder if it’s working?  No, probably not.

Baby at 29 weeks:

• Your baby now weighs about 2 and a half pounds (1150gm) and is about 15 inches (38.5cm) long from head to heel.
• Baby may be performing fewer movements because living conditions in the womb are becoming more cramped, but movements may become more forceful.
• Baby’s eyes can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the uterine wall and may be able to follow a blinking light.
• more

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}
• 28 weeks: the name game {pregnancy update}

Last week we told the world we were having a boy.  The main announcement was in my account of the ultrasound, but there was an earlier secret announcement posted as a PS to the Drano gender test.  Now that we and the rest of the world know that we are having a boy – unless we become one of those stories where the baby surprises everyone by arriving with the “wrong” parts – well, now we can start the name game.

Traditionally we have waited until very near the due date simply because it always takes us until the baby’s arrival to settle the question anyway.  Much like potty training, we figured out that there was no need to start early and create a 6 month battle.  We could just wait until everyone was ready, including the baby (which also helps in potty training) and get it done rather quickly and painlessly.

But now that we know the baby’s gender, somehow it seems impossible to avoid talking about names.  We can make a concrete decision rather than choosing a potential boy name and a potential girl name.

In case it’s not obvious, the Battle of the Baby Name has already begun.

I really want to continue our pattern of matching initials for all the males in our family, PCC.  While my husband is a III and PerryBoy is IV, Parker has the same initials as the Perrys.  I want this new boy to be Patrick Calvin, named for Saint Patrick and John Calvin.  I have a brother named Patrick Henry, but I wouldn’t call this little guy Patrick.  To keep our naming pattern from being too obvious and to prevent our list of boys from becoming a tongue twister, I would call him Calvin – like the comic book Calvin & Hobbes, of which we are huge fans.  Did you know the Calvin in that comic actually was named for the theologian John Calvin?

Most of the kids really, really want to name this little guy James William.  They don’t exactly have a vote in the matter (“You get to name your own kids,” I tell them) but we do consider their input.  It’s a good solid name, a name we have considered ever since the beginning of our childbearing years.  It is an old family name that goes back generations on Perry’s side of the family,  including the father of Perry I.  William is also the name of my brother (named for William Wallace) and my great-grandfather, a full-blooded native Alaskan who was orphaned and adopted by Americans.

And then there’s my patient husband Perry, the child’s father.  He should have some say in the matter, right?  He is not against my obsessive compulsive desire for a pattern, but he is unsure about my specific choice.  He spent one entire morning texting me boys’ names that began with the letter P.  I had to apologize for obsessing over the one that had been in my head since 10 minutes after Parker was named.  I feel like I’ve already named the child, but he’s not mine alone to name.

On his list of P names, I like Porter, but it sounds too much like Parker.  Pierce is OK.  I also like his suggestion of Phineas because the initial F sound would also help to disguise the pattern but I would want to save Calvin for another son in that case.  I think Phineas would appeal to the younger kids because they are familiar with the cartoon characters Phineas & Ferb, and of course I love that it’s a Bible name of a strong man who took action and did what was right during a very bad time in Israel’s history.

What do you think?  Like the kids, you don’t get a vote but I’d love to have your input.  What do you suggest?  I like names that are gender specific and just a little out of the ordinary but not “weird.”  Am I crazy for wanting matching initials for all my guys?  In my mind, it’s like naming them all after their father without going the George Foreman route: George II, George III, George IV, etc.

Belly pics

Does anybody think this dress will make it another 12 weeks?

I don’t mind when friends or even strangers want to touch my belly because I share their wonder at the miracle of a person in there, but my belly button is private property.  It’s not my fault if you can see it through 3 or 4 layers, and that doesn’t make it ok for you to poke it.  Quit it!

Just to keep it real, here’s a shot in my real everyday clothes – except the shoes.  When I put on shoes, the kids all say, “Bye Mom! Where-are-you-going-can-I-go-with-you?”

The pic above is how I look in the mirror, but strangely enough the camera keeps making me look more like this:

Why do I look so much bigger in photos than in real life?  Wait, don’t answer that.

Baby at 28 weeks: 

• Baby is about 2.2 pounds and is 14.8 inches in length from head to heel.  If born now, baby would have a greater than 90% chance of survival.
• The hair on the head is now clearly visible.
• The milk teeth have developed under the gums.
• Brain waves show rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which means baby may be dreaming.
• more

Your turn:

Want to share your own update?  I’d love to hear it!

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}
• 27 weeks: Third trimester, here we come! {pregnancy update}

cont’d from here

It was only my second ultrasound ever, and the first with any of my living children.  My eyes were utterly untrained.  I lay there looking at the screen while the nurse scanned my belly, but as body parts zoomed past I was largely lost.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy to spot the gender on my own, especially if I wasn’t the one operating the scanner.

I was there as a model to provide practice and training for a new nurse so she started by labeling several anatomical landmarks on the screen: placenta, mother’s bladder, cervix, baby’s heart, etc.  As she worked, she commented: “This is obviously your cervix.  Of course that’s your bladder.  You and I know this, but the doctor needs to know that I know.”  Very little was obvious to me, but I tried to learn as I watched.

I also tried not to pass out.  The bed was very short and my legs hung off the end, doing strange things to my blood pressure.  I could have bent my knees and put my feet up on the end of the bed, but I was wearing a skirt and didn’t see a need to dispense with modesty just yet.  I was also flat on my back, not the best position late in the second trimester.  I may not have recognized my bladder on the screen, but I did know enough anatomy to realize that my heavy uterus was pressing on my vena cava, impeding circulation and causing my already low blood pressure to dip even further.

I refrained from complaining as long as I could, but finally realized I really and truly would pass out cold if I didn’t say something.  ”I need to sit up,” I gasped.  ”I’m really woozy.”  The nurse and her assistant were instantly at attention.  They brought me ice water and raised the head of the bed, watching me closely.  I propped myself a little higher on one elbow and took a few deep breaths as I sipped.  I was feeling better now, and knew the remaining lightheadedness would pass in a few minutes.  I assured them I was fine, but I did need to stay more upright.

While they waited and debated how to make the rest of the scan more comfortable for me, the nurse tried scanning while I sat up.  It worked!  It probably wouldn’t have worked earlier in pregnancy, but I was out to here with baby, and everything was in plain sight, so to speak.  Problem solved.

The training portion took a little while, but by the time they let Perry in the room, the work was done, and we were finally ready to start the fun.

Regina scanned my belly from side to side, showing us the baby’s face and limbs, laughing at the constant motion.  ”I’ve never scanned such an active baby!” she exclaimed.  It was strange to feel kicks and thumps just a split second before seeing them on the screen in front of us.  Perry and I chatted casually with each other and the nurse but kept our eyes locked on the screen.  It was amazing to see this little person’s face already.  I couldn’t help but laugh at the flailing arms – at one point it looked like the little hand was reaching out to play with toes.  Regina paused to freeze the frame every now and then.  Although I didn’t realize it at first, these frozen frames would be the photos that we took home with us.

Perry thought he had spotted the genitals, but I was locked on the baby’s face at every chance and had no clue.  Finally, Regina paused.  ”Well,” she said, giving us a significant look.  ”If you were hoping to find out whether you were having a boy or a girl, that is where you’d be looking.”  She moved the little white arrow on the screen to indicate what she was talking about.  ”Right there.  See it?  He’s making it easy for you.”

Perry laughed out loud.  I knew in theory what I should be seeing, but wasn’t quite sure how it all came together.  Then Regina froze the frame here:

OK, then.  The baby’s head is on the left, then elbows, then knees on the right.  And right in the center – it’s a boy!

Regina snapped a few more photos for us, and I asked her if she thought there could be a second baby hiding in there.  I already knew the answer, but would have felt silly not to pose the question since that was why we came.  She searched a bit for clues, and while she admitted that it’s always possible for a twin to hide she really didn’t think it was likely in our case.

We were finished.  To my delight, Regina handed us a long strip of photos to take home with us.  We thanked Regina and her assistant profusely, but they insisted that we had helped them by providing the training opportunity.

Now to choose a name…

The last week was hugely busy, and I feel like I should be exhausted.  I probably look exhausted, but I feel like I’m running on a combination of caffeine, adrenaline and French cooking.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I need to piece together a recap of my week from my Facebook updates.

I can’t believe we’re beginning our 3rd trimester already!  It’s exciting but also a bit scary to know that the end is growing close.  Three months sounds like a long time, but 13 weeks – 13 times to church – 13 Friday nights – sounds like so very little time!

Since we learned the baby’s gender last week, we have begun negotiations for naming.  Since I have yet to finish my account of the ultrasound, I can’t really share our top picks or ask for your input.  Next on my to-do list: finish that post.  I really didn’t mean to leave you hanging, but sometimes life happens and daily schedules just don’t go according to plan.

Belly pic:

I’m still taking my weekly belly pic in the same dress, as planned, but I’m beginning to wonder how it will hold up over the remaining 13 weeks.  It’s not quite as roomy as I imagined, and Baby and I have a lot of growing to do still.  Think I don’t look big here?  This pic was taken first thing in the morning, while gravity was still on my side.  Try waiting until mid-afternoon; then look down from above, like I do.  Trust me; it’s big.  I’m still measuring 2-3 cm. big for this stage, as I have all along.

Baby at 27 weeks:

• Baby weighs almost 2 pounds now and is about 14.5 inches long.
• Baby now has eyebrows and eyelashes and hair.
• Eyes can blink, open and close, and baby may turn his or her head if you shine a flashlight against your belly.
• more

Exercise:

It didn’t happen.  I walked once or twice early in the week, 2 miles at a time with a 5 lb weight in each hand.  After that, I simply didn’t have time.  It was a crazy week.  I was strangely satisfied by the fact that I woke each morning to aches in my legs and torso that took hours to dissipate.  I think my body has become accustomed to the exercise, and depends on it to work out the stiffness and aches that accumulate during the night.

Your turn:

Want to share your own update?  I’d love to hear it!

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}
• 26 weeks: Ultrasound! {pregnancy update}

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}
• 25 weeks: To twin, or not to twin? {pregnancy update}