Week 23

Advice Request:

Here is an unconventional request:

Darren and I want to go on a “babymoon” before baby girl is born.  We don’t want to spend a lot, so a massive vacation is out.  We would be traveling in the end of March or beginning of April.  Any ideas are welcome!

How I am feeling:  Not too much has changed, especially since I posted a little late last week.  I love that people are looking at my belly and telling me that I look so “cute” pregnant.  I actually feel cute pregnant, which I did not expect.  I am even looking forward to my belly getting bigger.  I have been so lucky to have felt good the entire pregnancy so far, so the whole thing is just so joyful.  I am also a lot less overwhelmed right now because we have most of the basics for the nursery done.  I was driving myself crazy with those decisions.  I think we’re going to take a break from shopping for a while and wait until her arrival is closer to see what we still need.   Here is what I look like at 23 weeks:

Baby movement:

The last time I was at the midwife’s office and the midwife, Heather, was listening to baby’s heartbeat, she was moving up a storm and I could hear the “thunks”!  The midwife asked if she was very active and seemed very pleased when I told her how active she was.  Darren still loved feeling her move and marvels at how weird it must feel to me.  Weird yes, but in the best way possible.  It’s like a secret language she and I share right now. 

Shout Outs

Thanks to Melanie, Shannon and Carissa for your advice on breast pumps and car seats!  I ordered a copy of Baby Bargains as you suggested and am definitely going to go with a Medela breast pump J  I have some research to do about car seats, but I appreciate your input!

Nursery:

We should be painting soon!  Maybe not this weekend because we have 3 murder mystery shows, but soon!  Other than that, nothing has really changed. 

Favorite Names:

Darren has started referring to the baby as Lilly now.  His mind is made up, but mine is not.  A friend of ours asked today “who gets the final say?” and I sort of looked at him and laughed.  Really?  Who do you think???  ;o)

Labor and Birth:

The book I am reading is recommending some strange things to prepare for labor!  One of them is “pelvic rocking” which is sort of like doing an impression of a very happy dog for 10 minutes at a time, four times a day…needless to say this is NOT getting done during the day at work.  Could you imagine a student walking in to that?  I don’t think I could explain that one too well.  Some of the other things make sense though.  For example practicing squatting to stretch the muscles, and also sitting Indian style and leaning forward when possible to help the position of the uterus.  I thought I would hate this, but I have started reading like this each night and it’s very comfortable.  I have also traded my hard desk chair at work for an exercises ball to help keep my core strength up and maintain good balance.  Plus, let’s be honest, it’s a lot more comfortable than a hard chair.    

  

What I am reading:

I am still reading Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley.  It doesn’t help that I am also reading several adolescent literature books on the side as well to keep up with my 40 book challenge at school.  I read Parenting magazines as well and I have started ripping the pages out and creating a binder of things to access later.  Some of the advice is great and I know I will forget it if I don’t keep it.