Week 40 Update

No big news this week in terms of Baby's arrival... we had an appointment Monday morning (the 27th) and I'm still the same as last week. My next scheduled appointment is Monday, the 3rd, where an inducement will be scheduled if I haven't already gone into labor! They won't let me go over 41 weeks.
Although the munchkin won't be needing it for several months, my husband put together the high chair last night while watching the Vikings/Eagles game (while I somehow found more rearranging and organizing to do in Baby's room). I took a few before and after pictures of the high chair :)

She's a "happy" baby :)

We had our weekly visit to the doc last night to check in on the little one... doesn't look like she'll be making an early entrance (or exit, rather) this week. Our doctor still says to "expect anything," but I haven't started dilating yet so we're thinking she's staying put for a little while longer :)

The doc checked her heart rate after I'd had a good contraction and he commented that she was a "happy baby." Her heart rate shot up after the contraction, which he interprets as a great response to stress and what he calls a happy little baby. I'm thinking she was extra happy this week due to all of the yummy sweets Mommy has been eating... :) !!!

I'm feeling alright lately... she's grown a good amount in size which has me sleeping a lot less at night and more of her little feet digging into my ribs! Our excitement to meet the little one is growing by the day... I'm never going to let go of this little peanut!

The evolution of the bump...

24 weeks

31 weeks

34 weeks

36 weeks

38 weeks

Two weeks to go!

We had our 38 week appointment today and all went very well! Our little peanut is still head down (very deep in my pelvis) and is weighing in at approximately 6 lbs 5 oz. She gained somewhere around 5-6 oz over the past week. My cervix is still closed at this point so no (very) early baby arrival as of today. The doc still said to "expect anything any one of these days"... does she prefer 2010 or 2011? We'll see... !!!!

This week's appointment :)

Just got home from the doctor and great news to share -- our baby girl is positioned head down (YAY!) and is a little under 6 pounds. The average weight for a baby at this point is 6 to 7 pounds, so she's doing just great and a little on the smaller size :) Fine by me! Her heart rate was 133 - also great. At this point he isn't changing the 1/1 due date, but said to expect anything from now until early January. Ahhhhh it's SO CLOSE!!!!

Packing up the Hospital Bag

It's about that time to have everything ready to go for the hospital, just in case our little one decides to make her entrance into the world early :) I think I've put more thought into packing these two bags (one for Baby and one for me) than the luggage for my four month abroad trip in London!

Many packed items are no-brainers (i.e. comfy pants and buttoned shirts to sleep in, slippers or slipper socks, toiletry items, nursing bras, etc.) but there are a few additional items I've added in there that were recommended on a Today Show segment last week:

The Homedics Sound Spa Relaxation Sound Machine

I fall asleep to a relaxation sound machine every night, so I was pretty excited to have already purchased this additional one last month for the baby's room. It can be plugged in or battery operated and isn't too cumbersome (great for traveling!) This will definitely come in handy at the hospital while trying to get some (well, a little) rest!

Bath Robe

Although they suggested to bring a thick terry cloth bath robe, I've decided to leave that one at home because I don't intend on sitting around in my robe (or primping in the bathroom) for too long. I packed my comfy silk robe instead, which fits a lot better into my hospital bag :)

CHARGED Camera

Seems obvious, but this is definitely something I've already put in the bag fully charged.  I can't tell you how many times I throw the camera in my purse and turn it on to find out it has very little or no battery. I've also packed our Flip Video Camcorder as well

IPOD and some reading material

At this point we have no idea how long my hospital stay will be, but bringing along the IPOD and a few good books/magazines sounded like a great idea to me. I plan on bringing one pregnancy related book, a couple magazines and whatever book (or two) I'm reading at the time I go into labor. 

My Tempur-Pedic Pillow (with an old pillow case!)

I had planned on bringing my own pillow to the hospital, but hadn't thought of covering it with an older pillow case versus our really nice silk ones. Great idea because I wouldn't want a case from one of our nice bedding sets to get ruined. Same thing goes for slippers/socks here... definitely not bringing my nice UGG slippers with me - packed a few comfy pair of slipper socks instead :)

                   

There are several other little things that I've thrown in the bag -- among them are a pack of organic lolli pops, some Clif Bars, water bottle... the munchkin's bag is pretty basic but a few of the items include her coming home outfit, the infant bundle me for the car seat (which we installed in the car a couple of weeks ago!), and a warm blanket and coat. Every now and then you'll hear of people bringing the breast pump with them to the hospital, but that seems quite silly to me. You aren't supposed to start pumping until a couple weeks after you give birth, so unless you need another tutorial from a nurse/lactation consultant on which gadget goes where there is really no need to bring it!

A cure to my restless nights?!?!

We are strong believers in tempur-pedic in this household, and the last couple of nights I discovered what could be the cure to my "mild" nightly backaches. I guess I could have figured this one out a while back, but I simply flipped the tempur-pedic pillow so that it lays vertically under my body versus horizontally so that my upper body is more elevated. Sleeping on my left side, I also have the body pillow in front of me and a firm support pillow behind me. I had the best night's sleep in weeks!!! 

If you don't have them already, I'd say that a good body pillow and a SIDE tempur-pedic pillow (they have a specific design for "the flip" I do with my t-p pillow) are great purchases to make for your pregnancy :) I really hope this set-up continues to work!!

There are definitely other stores that carry the tempur-pedic side pillow at a reduced price, but here is the pillow at tempurpedic.com:

http://www.tempurpedic.com/Contoured-Pillows/Tempur-Pedic-SidePillow.asp

The home stretch!

Today marks the beginning of my last month of pregnancy (if our baby girl decides to come into the world on her 1/1 due date!) She hasn't decreased her activity level yet (at all hours of the day and night) so with my growing tummy it has gotten a lot harder to get a good night's sleep.
Overall I think pregnancy has treated me very well -- can't complain about a few rough nights of sleep and a little back pain (which my husband can usually fix very quickly!)
It's been tough being home alone all week... every time my husband travels it makes me realize how much I love having him around, especially during this exciting time in our lives! Even though she's been quite active in my tummy for months now, sitting/lying down with my husband and feeling her move around will never get old!!
I'm so excited for him to come from NJ late tomorrow night, and will be even more excited mid-December when he is home for good for a bit!
My next doctor's appointment is December 7th, which should be quite telling in terms of her current weight/length and positioning. I'll definitely be checking in with all updates on our little munchkin!
Each week I get a few updates from different pregnancy websites. Today I got a little blurb on the positive effects of exercise during pregnancy:

Fit Pregnancy, Happy Baby

There's science behind it, but who cares? It works! Here's a surprising payoff to exercising during pregnancy.

How's this for a payoff at 36 weeks pregnant?  Babies of pregnant exercisers tend to sleep through the night sooner, are less prone to colic, and are better able to soothe themselves. Scientists attribute this to these babies being stimulated by their moms through changes in heart rate and oxygen levels, as well as the sounds and vibrations they experience in the womb during workouts.  But who cares about the science?  Pass the sneakers! 

Happy Thanksgiving, All! 35 Weeks... :)

He's leaving on a jet plane...

... and here's to hoping he comes back before the little one is born! It looks like my husband's expertise is needed with a client in Princeton, New Jersey for a few weeks... no signs of an early baby arrival right now, but I'm a little bit nervous about being in a city on my own during "high alert" time! SO GLAD we got most of the "baby prep" done these past couple of months. It would have been a lot more difficult doing it all on my own.

Last night I started filling in pages of the baby book... some of the pages are pretty detailed so this new project will keep me busy the next couple of weeks :)

                                       

My little Saturday morning of sterilizing

It's time to wash and sterilize breast pump accessories and bottles... I'm actually looking forward to it because the pump is probably the coolest "toy" I've ever played with. Unfortunately I have to be very careful with this "toy" because it's a $300 loss if I break something, not including some of the added accessories.
Obviously I don't have first-hand experience with the pump yet, but in my opinion it is definitely worth the money if you think you're going to be a devoted breast feeder/pumper. I decided to go with the Medela Pump 'N Style (see below) -- in addition to the A/C adapter I got the car adapter as well. I may never use it, but now that we're so far away from family and friends (and with all of the hassle airlines put you through today) I'm thinking we'd like to drive more often than flying with all of the baby gear.
**I did a little research and found a much more efficient way to sterilize some of the pump and bottle components... MEDELA MICRO-STEAM BAGS. Even the tubing can be sterilized this way as long as you put the appropriate amount of water in the bag. The bags are also great for sterilizing pacifiers for your little one :)

...and we're ready for the little lady to take over our home

New area rug delivered and ready for activity mats, toys, swings, etc... we think she'll enjoy the softer surface :)

Shelves are no longer bare...

Crib is ready for her to sleep in, although she won't be sleeping in it for a bit :)

The Munchkin's "Coming Home Outfit" :)

GREAT space saver! (the rest assured sleeper)

Yesterday we set up the "rest assured sleeper" to make sure it was high-quality for the little munchkin to rest in. We've got so much "stuff" now that we decided to save some space by purchasing this versus a pack 'n play or bassinet. SO GLAD WE DID THIS! The sleeper fits perfectly in the crib, in the bed with me (husband will be traveling a lot) or out in the living room on the ottoman, rug, whatever. Not only is it less cumbersome than any other "infant sleeper," but you can literally move the sleeper with the baby in it from one room to another (GREAT for getting her adjusted to sleeping in her own crib from our room!) This is also great to purchase as a travel sleeping alternative for your little one (as long as he/she is under 15 lbs) - folds up compactly with a traveling handle.

Glad I've never been a Jell-O fan... and neither will my children!! :)

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/for-the-home/10-things-snack-food-companies-wont-say/?page=all\

Only a month and a half to go...!!!!

We took a couple more pictures today... I'm almost 34 weeks and feeling great! I get occasional heartburn/backache and feel a lot more pressure on my bladder, but overall I've had a very easy pregnancy thus far! The hardest part at this point is PATIENCE... I can't wait to meet our little angel.

Fun little "tummy exercises"

We're having a lot of fun these days watching the little munchkin maneuver in my tummy and kick, punch, or give us a high five :) The past few weeks we've done a couple "exercises" with Baby Walsh that have been pretty fun.
The first is: we turn all of the lights off in the room and shine a flash light onto my tummy, moving it slowly from side to side. Usually the baby will respond to the light and either move with it or kick/punch where you have shined the light!
The second is: we took a toilet paper roll and my husband placed it up to my belly to try and find her heart beat -- this is neat because you can sometimes tell where your baby is positioned based on where you hear the beat.
Both of these fun activities won't work until you're in your sixth month or later :)
This picture (below) is not my belly or baby's little foot, but I had to post it... very cool?!


SOME WOMAN'S TUMMY :) 

    

A Healthy Start :)

Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day. Growing up, my Mom and Dad would make special breakfasts for my brother, sisters and me on a daily basis. Whether waffles, pancakes, eggs to our liking, a breakfast casserole, or french toast, they always made sure we went out the door well fed (or with a breakfast sandwich in hand to eat in the car!) Yes, we were very fortunate to have such devoted parents.
My morning hunger was out of control during my second trimester (and I wasn't as tired as I am now) so a typical breakfast could include a huge plate of french toast or eggs, bacon and toast with some fruit salad. I'm always hungry in the morning, but lately I lack the energy to get the pots, pans and bowls out. My alternative is a big bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch with organic 1% milk and some fruit. Kashi GLC has 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving -- twice the protein and fiber of most cereals. I prefer the Honey Almond Flax box which provides me with 500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids as well :)

24 VS. 31

31 WEEKS...

               

24 WEEKS...

Prentice Womens Hotel (I mean HOSPITAL)

We had our first childbirth preparation class on Wednesday night at Northwestern Memorial's Prentice Womens Hospital. Class was quite informative and we really enjoyed it!

I had never been inside Prentice before (it was recently remodeled), so we were pretty excited to get the tour of the building after class. I must say, I've been in MANY hospitals and visited several maternity floors... none compare to this building. I felt as if I were walking through a 5 star hotel (no hospital smell by the way - huge plus). It is ultra modern, which could throw the older generations off a bit because the rooms are quite large with lots of new technology, huge flat screens, special lighting, etc.

Did I mention the beautiful views of Lake Michigan on both the delivery and postpartum floors? Breathtaking. The nurse giving us the tour mentioned that most Mothers don't want to leave once their stay is over... I can definitely see why!

A Work in Progress...

We're hoping to have the baby's room finished by the first week in November, decorating and all. Keeping in mind that we'll have plenty of family and friends visiting in January/February and the many nights we'll be spending by her crib once she moves into her room from our room, we decided to keep a full bed in there for the time being. Fortunately there's enough room for everything to fit comfortably! Here's our work in progress...

"Please Bring Snacks" You mean, "Bring Snacks and Your Second Dinner"

We have our first childbirth class tonight at Prentice Women's Hospital from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. I'll be getting my husband straight from work downtown around 5:30 (yes, he's in town this week!!) which is right at dinner time, without enough time to actually get dinner. It's suggested to "bring a snack," but we'll be bringing dinner and a few snacks : D
Typically I wouldn't choose a breakfast burrito for dinner, but I've been REALLY CRAVING one (hubby loves them, too). It was far too convenient to stop at the Lincoln Park Whole Foods after the gym this morning and pick a couple up for only $3.99 a burrito (and these puppies are packed full). I'll throw them in the oven ten minutes before leaving for class, and that's our dinner.
On any other morning (or evening) they are SUPER EASY to make -- beat the eggs in a bowl and then dice some veggies and add toss them in the bow. Add a little milk to give the egg a more fluffy consistency, then put mixture in microwave and watch for eggs to rise (about 3 minutes). Remove egg mixture and scramble it up in bowl. Lay a tortilla flat on a plate - wrap both sides of the tortilla inward and roll up from the bottom.
This is the quick version, and very yummy!

Here are a few other typical snacks I enjoy, and that I'll be bringing along tonight:

Apples and peanut butter - try Smart Balance peanut butter. It's better for you and tastes great on apples, bananas, carrots, celery, etc.
Clif Kid Bars - organic bars that are yummy and the perfect size. I like the chocolate chip and brownie flavor. Always have one of these in my gym bag and the glove compartment!                              
                                  

Week 31... the Buddha!

It's amazing how much my tummy has popped in just the past few weeks. I'm quite excited to be "showing" more - people can actually tell that I am in fact pregnant now!

Now that my tummy is growing A LOT I've been really pleased with the lack of stretch marks (so far!). I've always used cocoa butter on my body and SWEAR BY IT, but since September I've also been using Palmer's Tummy Butter to prevent the stretch marks as much as possible. I rub it on all my stomach area, chest, hip area and back, both in the morning after showering and at night before bed. I loves it!                                                 
                              

Achoo!!!

It's that time of year... flu and cold season. Every year I try to escape that nasty cold, but it always seems to get me. I've already gotten my preservative free flu shot (highly recommended for pregnant women) but in past years I still manage to get that sneezing, coughing, runny nose, itchy eyed bug even with a flu shot.
When I felt the dreaded October cold coming this year I stocked up on a few items that I'm CONVINCED helped my immune system fight off the bug. These Vitamin C Gummies are so yummy (taste like fruit snacks) and the Organic Vitamin C Pops are very tasty as well. A couple gummies in the morning and a Pop or two at night did the trick (in addition to a good night's sleep and balanced diet). Just goes to show you that Mom was right... Vitamin C 100% helps!

New Wheels!

Since moving to Chicago my husband and I spent many summer days observing/inquiring about neighborhood parents' strollers of choice. What we found is that a high-quality three wheel, all terrain stroller is the way to go if you plan on taking the little one on a lot of walks around the city. We had also done our research on car seats (see "A Good Read") and knew we wanted a stroller compatible with the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio. Below is the city stroller we decided on to go with our Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 car seat.

For Description, Video, etc.:

http://www.babyearth.com/bumbleride-indie-all-terrain-stroller-single.html

Latest Candy Recall

I'll be double-checking all of my kids' Halloween candy!

http://www.parenting.com/new/blogs/show-and-tell/sasha-parentingcom/candy-recall-raisinets-and-mega-pop-lollipops

My First (Favorite) Baby Purchase...

Never knew a DIAPER BAG would make me so happy, but I'm obsessed. While stopping by Lincoln Park's Bellini baby store in August, an assortment of Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bags caught my eye and I pretty much decided I couldn't leave without one. Even my husband thought this bag is awesome. It can be a hands-free backpack or long messenger strap, with a built-in changing station and detachable changing pad. Inside are two large diaper/wipes pockets, four bottle pockets, organizational pockets and even a pouch for dirty diapers and another for pacifiers. There are lots of patterns/colors to choose from to fit your personal style - I went with brown background with teal and gold pattern. These bags are definitely pricey, but worth the money.
They can run anywhere from $175 to low $200's.
http://www.petunia.com/

A Good Read

There are three things you'll always find on my nightstand -- an alarm clock, glass of water and a good book. Over the past seven months I've definitely been reading plenty of "mommy material" (see photo) but I've tried not to COMPLETELY consume my life with "mommy stuff." Everyone needs that "escape" in a good read before a weeknight sleep. Recently I've read  All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, The Help, and The Heretic's Daughter. All very different, and all very good!  I usually get into bed about 45 minutes before the lights go out -- read Mommy material for fifteen minutes and then pick up my book of the week for a bit before shutting it down. 

Regarding the Mommy Material, I highly recommend the assortment displayed in the picture above. Baby Bargains is great -- it has a ranking system/grades for all baby products based on consumer reports, customer satisfaction, product longevity, past product recalls, etc. I found this book extremely helpful when choosing which crib to invest in, the safest car seats, best strollers, etc. I haven't used the Baby411 book yet, but its a quick reference guide for parents and again has same format as Baby Bargains. 

What to Expect When You're Expecting - SOMEONE will buy you this when decide to spill the beans. It's nice because chapters are outlined by month and progression of your pregnancy up until the care of your little one.

The Happiest Baby on the Block is a great reference guide by M.D. Harvey Karp to help soothe your baby and keep him/her happy using natural methods. I also have the DVD.

The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy - GET IT... written by Mom's who tell you the whole (hilarious) truth and nothing but the truth. Whenever something bizarre happens to me I grab that book and sure enough it's covered and I'm laughing out loud within seconds/minutes.

I've subscribed to a few magazines -- Parenting Magazine, American Baby and Fit Pregnancy (all very good - American Baby is a free subscription for the year for first-time Mom's)

What's for dinner?

I absolutely LOVE to cook... both baking and cooking were hobbies I shared with my Mother growing up, so I feel a special closeness to her whenever I put my chef's hat on. I've always had a pretty balanced diet, but now that I'm pregnant it's even more important to make sure my body is getting all of the necessary food groups, vitamins and nutrients necessary to keep baby and me healthy and steadily growing :) Here is an example of a typical dinner whip up for us... I love making dishes that have a lot of color to them (veggies!) and when choosing a carb, better to go with something like a sweet potato over a baked potato.
**The vegetables (right) are simple -- I chose to cut up yellow squash, zucchini, red pepper, mushroom, and onion. Splash olive oil in pan, throw in veggies and add some seasoned salt, garlic powder to your pleasing. I added some paprika as well for a little kick. Keep tossing the veggies around for 3-5 minutes until cooked through.
**For a quick baked potato, wash/scrub it thoroughly and then pat dry/poke holes on top. Place in microwave for 3-4 few minutes per potato while preheating oven to 375 degrees. Once microwaved, place potato in foil with the top open just a tad. Bake for about 10 minutes, or longer if you'd like. This is an easy way to get a baked potato for a quarter the time!
**Every woman should know how to use a grill - if you don't, get a free lesson from your husband, boyfriend, Dad, brother, friend, etc. It's super easy, and your man will be impressed:)

Staying fit and feeling great

I'm someone who has always taken pride in staying fit and making a nice appearance. Working out is a daily release for me (weather in the gym, on a tennis court, or on a nice jog/walk) and is just as important for me mentally as it is physically.

If you can continue to exercise while pregnant, it is a huge plus for both you and your baby.  If you weren't into fitness before pregnancy it will be difficult to start a routine, but incorporating a brisk walk five days a week is a lot better than doing nothing at all. I've continued doing a similar type of cardio workout, but moderated -- I've decreased the intensity, time spent on machine, and - most importantly - I only workout on machines that display my heart rate. It is best to keep your heart rate under 140 BPM for the entirety of the workout (for pregnant women), which explains my bias toward high-end machines that display a correct reading. Below is the Cybex Arc Trainer -- in my opinion the best cardio machine in the gym, pregnant or not pregnant. It is a great total body workout that isn't tough on your joints and its settings allow you to modify your workout based on the incline and resistant you prefer that day. See: http://www.arctrainer.com/