eniarelocin (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eniarelocin) wrote2007-06-19 12:14 pm
eniarelocin) wrote2007-06-19 12:14 pm
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Pollywog Blog: 24 Weeks 1 day
Today we had our 24 week midwife appointment. Our midwife was out due to recovering from surgery (I know no more details than that). We had a substitute and two students sitting in. So far, we've never had a student sit in. I must say, being out numbered by strangers made me pretty uncomfortable. The sub-midwife noticed this and one of the students left. The one that stayed turned out to be pretty helpful as she is more familiar with this midwifery practice and the area (the sub is from Seattle).
Evergreen Women's Health Center (the place that hung up on me when I called to cancel our care there) still has not transferred my records. This left the sub midwife with not a lot to go on, and I doubt I was helpful as being nervous with a new person is not conducive to my willingness to freely discuss anything at all. We basically talked about my sciatica and exercise, I got something that felt like a nutrition lecture (though I don't think it was meant to be). She was nice enough, but I wasn't prepared this morning to be seeing someone completely new. I wish I would have been warned. I brought a list of questions to ask Darlene, our usual midwife, but didn't refer much to it.
Stephen thought this morning was a waste of time, and I somewhat agree though not entirely. We did get at least a couple of questions answered. They checked the usual things and we heard the baby's heartbeat. Though, now that I can feel it moving all the time, this is definitely less exciting. However, we do know that the heartbeat is holding steadily around 140 bpm where it's been the whole time. This is completely useless in any determination of sex. It's said that if it's lower (closer to 120bpm) it's likely a boy, if it's higher (closer to 160bpm) it's likely a boy. Well ours is smack dab in the middle, of course. We have an Androgynous baby. So maybe I'm going to lose and we'll have to name it Andrew after all, if it's a boy. Either way, it's still there. And it's healthy. I'm guessing my size is fine as they didn't say other wise. I actually got measured today for the first time. My uterus is really working its way up my abdominal cavity. Lookout Ribs! You're not safe for long.
I also got the name of a Bradley-Method instructor for child birth classes. This is a good thing as I've been striking out with Googling for any alternative anything near where we live and I don't really see the point in doing a class that is not based on natural childbirth and hospital centric. We're also supposed to take new parent classes according what we signed when registered with the midwife (that it's our responsibility to do this ... blah blah blah blah...), and I'm ok with that as long as we can afford it and find something that works. Either way, I'm sure that this is a good time to look into these things. We start the 3rd Trimester very soon and are now booked upto 32 weeks with the midwife. Time is going to fly.
In the meantime, the baby is growing and developing.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
squidgyfishlove asked me to post some interesting facts about its current development.
What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days? All kinds of sounds: from air exhaling from your lungs (deep breath now), those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's (which your baby will be able to recognize at birth), and even very loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs, or a wailing fire truck.
So, I've said to Stephen, "Talking to the baby more means it will know you when it's born. Wouldn't that be amazing? You speak to it for the first time and it looks at you like "Hey I know you! You're Dad!"
Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like? If you had a baby cam, you'd almost be able to tell by now. That beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin. Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones, and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this point are gaining about six ounces each week — with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle.
That's pretty amazing stuff, really. I'm really excited to meet our little person. :)
For those of you who have been asking about the sex of the baby (which is pretty much everyone I run into), I should mention that we are not likely to get another ultrasound. The only reason to do so would be if there is a problem, and therefore, I'm not hoping for that. I think it's a wonderful to surprise, the biggest we'll ever have, to find out then. I hope that everyone else can be as happy at we are that it's a baby. I mean seriously... would you love it any less if it were a boy or a girl? We won't. So what difference does it make? [end rant]
Weird thing for today: Although I don't ever forget that the baby is there, I seem to keep surprising myself in front of mirrors or when I discover that my turning radius is not what it used to be. Apparently I forget that my size and shape have changed.
I think there needs to be more yoga.
I know that it's normal... but I've gained 5 pounds since our last visit (8 weeks ago?). And this makes me sad. I think it's sort of ruined my day actually. I realise that this is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever said. But that's how it is. :(
Evergreen Women's Health Center (the place that hung up on me when I called to cancel our care there) still has not transferred my records. This left the sub midwife with not a lot to go on, and I doubt I was helpful as being nervous with a new person is not conducive to my willingness to freely discuss anything at all. We basically talked about my sciatica and exercise, I got something that felt like a nutrition lecture (though I don't think it was meant to be). She was nice enough, but I wasn't prepared this morning to be seeing someone completely new. I wish I would have been warned. I brought a list of questions to ask Darlene, our usual midwife, but didn't refer much to it.
Stephen thought this morning was a waste of time, and I somewhat agree though not entirely. We did get at least a couple of questions answered. They checked the usual things and we heard the baby's heartbeat. Though, now that I can feel it moving all the time, this is definitely less exciting. However, we do know that the heartbeat is holding steadily around 140 bpm where it's been the whole time. This is completely useless in any determination of sex. It's said that if it's lower (closer to 120bpm) it's likely a boy, if it's higher (closer to 160bpm) it's likely a boy. Well ours is smack dab in the middle, of course. We have an Androgynous baby. So maybe I'm going to lose and we'll have to name it Andrew after all, if it's a boy. Either way, it's still there. And it's healthy. I'm guessing my size is fine as they didn't say other wise. I actually got measured today for the first time. My uterus is really working its way up my abdominal cavity. Lookout Ribs! You're not safe for long.
I also got the name of a Bradley-Method instructor for child birth classes. This is a good thing as I've been striking out with Googling for any alternative anything near where we live and I don't really see the point in doing a class that is not based on natural childbirth and hospital centric. We're also supposed to take new parent classes according what we signed when registered with the midwife (that it's our responsibility to do this ... blah blah blah blah...), and I'm ok with that as long as we can afford it and find something that works. Either way, I'm sure that this is a good time to look into these things. We start the 3rd Trimester very soon and are now booked upto 32 weeks with the midwife. Time is going to fly.
In the meantime, the baby is growing and developing.
squidgyfishlove asked me to post some interesting facts about its current development. What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days? All kinds of sounds: from air exhaling from your lungs (deep breath now), those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's (which your baby will be able to recognize at birth), and even very loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs, or a wailing fire truck.
So, I've said to Stephen, "Talking to the baby more means it will know you when it's born. Wouldn't that be amazing? You speak to it for the first time and it looks at you like "Hey I know you! You're Dad!"
Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like? If you had a baby cam, you'd almost be able to tell by now. That beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin. Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones, and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this point are gaining about six ounces each week — with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle.
That's pretty amazing stuff, really. I'm really excited to meet our little person. :)
For those of you who have been asking about the sex of the baby (which is pretty much everyone I run into), I should mention that we are not likely to get another ultrasound. The only reason to do so would be if there is a problem, and therefore, I'm not hoping for that. I think it's a wonderful to surprise, the biggest we'll ever have, to find out then. I hope that everyone else can be as happy at we are that it's a baby. I mean seriously... would you love it any less if it were a boy or a girl? We won't. So what difference does it make? [end rant]
Weird thing for today: Although I don't ever forget that the baby is there, I seem to keep surprising myself in front of mirrors or when I discover that my turning radius is not what it used to be. Apparently I forget that my size and shape have changed.
I think there needs to be more yoga.
I know that it's normal... but I've gained 5 pounds since our last visit (8 weeks ago?). And this makes me sad. I think it's sort of ruined my day actually. I realise that this is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever said. But that's how it is. :(