Week 32!

Prep Time Begins!

I can't believe we hit 32 weeks today!  Time is flying (thank goodness) and I really cannot wait to meet my first child.  It still feels extremely surreal.  Have any other first time moms felt this?  Almost like it's not really happening?  Maybe that sounds crazy, but that's just how it's been feeling lately.  That I can't believe I have to get a small human to come out of my body, and then he's in my life forever.  We take our weekly bump picture tonight, so here's two from the past couple of weeks!

My big guy is in there!  Weeks 30, 31, and 32 will be up soon!

Anyway!  I haven't been reading too much about what will happen, what I should do once he's here, etc.  We have a childbirth class on the 29th of this month, and I know a lot of my insecurities and fears will be addressed there.  Right now, I've just been reading advice (or hearing it) from other moms I know, of what to do once we hit 32 weeks.  Since we hit it today, by our doctor's calendar, full nesting and prep mode has kicked in for me! 

Major Important To-Do's:

1. Meal Prep - I'm actually starting this at the beginning of November.  Reason being, the ones that I have found only allow freezing up to three months, so I would like to have the food prepped as close to D-Day as possible.  I created this massive binder of both beef/pork/chicken recipes that you just throw all of the ingredients into a plastic gallon-sized zip-loc bag, freeze, and then all you do is dump it into the Crock-Pot, and voila!  Meal for 2-4 in a few hours, hands and dishes free.

2. Hospital Bag - This one is a big one.  I actually have an entire list for both myself and my husband (all of these lists of mine are in a binder, by the way) and I read some really good advice: have your partner pack the bag!  How genius.  I'll be so busy in pain/in a bed/etc. and if I need something from the bag, I don't want him to have to rifle through it, not knowing where it is.  This way, if he packs it, he'll remember where things are, making it easy to locate anything he/I may need.  Here's a peek into our bag and diaper bag:

Items for Mom:

- Birth Plan (jury is still out on this one)

- Pillow

- Contacts

- Glasses

- Hair ties

- Tennis ball (for massages)
- Deck of cards

- iPad

- Goodie Bags for the nurses (I'll type these out, too!) 

- Book

- Cell phone charger

- Headphones

- Pregnancy journal

- Toothbrush/Toothpaste

- Gummy bears/granola bars

- Maxi Pads

- Hairbrush/hair essentials

- Shampoo/Conditioner

- Bar of soap

- Makeup

- 5 pairs of underwear

- PJs

- Robe

- Socks (with sticky bottoms)

- Slippers

- Going home outfit (comfy pants, loose tee, nursing bra(s))

- Deoderant

Items for Baby:

- A few diapers

- Diaper Bag

- Going Home outfit (we have 2-3 of these depending on his size)

- Warm receiving blanket

- Hats

Items for Dad:

- SNACKS, SNACKS, SNACKS

- Couple changes of clothes

- PJs

- Pillow

- Headphones

- Lots of quarters (vending machines!)

- Advil

- Toothbrush/Toothpaste

- Water bottle

- Book

- Sneakers

- Slippers

- Deodorant

- Phone Charger

- Old T-shirt (for during birth)

- Spare blanket

- Cash

- Baseball (for baby hand print)

- Face Wipes

3. Car Seat - Back in September we went to a Baby Prepping class, and learned something I never knew!  Almost all of the police departments around us offer to install your car seat for you so that it's 100% safe.  Interesting statistic: over 90% of all car seats are installed incorrectly.  I'm very happy that they offer this service and we're having it installed this coming Friday!  How strange and cool at the same time.  We went with the Peg Perego 4-35.

4. Hospital Pre-Authorization - So this one... I have no idea how this works, so I'm hoping that calling a month in advance will be okay.  It notes I need to pre-authorize the day before, but honestly, who the heck knows when they're going into labor?!  So I'm just going to call and find out.  Or if anyone has any advice that'd be awesome, too!

5. Pediatrician - Yes, I know, we're super behind on this one.  I have a number to call and am hoping it shouldn't be too big of a hassle.  Around here, it can take up to 8 months just to get a primary physician for an adult.  So dumb, but what can you do?

Symptoms!

On to the next... symptoms these last couple weeks have SUCKED.  Women were not kidding that Third Trimester is the hardest!  I can feel him move almost all day, but I also feel like he's running out of room.  Because I feel HUGE.  My skin across my abdomen feels so stretched all the time and it's becoming very uncomfortable, albeit even painful.  I hope this subsides with all the lotion I've been using, but it doesn't seem that way.  My skin has never stretched like this so I'm not surprised it's uncomfortable either.  I think the only thing that makes me okay with it is knowing that my little guy is growing and stretching!

Maternity Pictures

These ended up being a major bust two weeks ago!  We woke up and it was DOWNPOURING.  What a bummer!  Luckily our photographer was flexible with us and we rescheduled to this weekend.  Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain and we can get some really good pictures of the two of us and the bump!  The last professional pictures we have are from our wedding, and then my brother's wedding this past June.  It'll be nice to see some casual ones that still look really nice.

Our Wedding! (07/18/2015)

At my brother's wedding! (06/18/2016)

That's it for Week 32!  Welcome to any new readers and I hope you keep checking back!  Always feel free to send me comments/praises/criticisms/advice/etc.!  I love it all!

Now We're In the Homestretch!

10 Weeks To Go!

BabyCenter App

I can't believe I can already say we're in the homestretch to meet our boy.  Week 30 hits today (if we're going by the doctor's due date schedule, meaning, he'll be here in 8-10 weeks!  According to our own calculations, his due date was supposed to be December 7th, meaning we'd have about 6-8 weeks (woah), so we'll see what the little one decides to do!

I want to tackle some issues this week, that are usually pretty sensitive.  I have noticed that Moms tend to be very vocal or very quiet on some of these issues, and usually I find myself somewhere in the middle.  Today, I'm deciding to be vocal, but not opinionated, if that makes any sense?  Please, do not pass judgement, anger, or hate towards what I am writing.  We are all entitled to our own opinions and views; that is the beauty of being human.  Here we go!

Vaccines

I think the best place to start with this is the view on vaccines.  Yes, this is a tired subject.  Yes, everyone has their own ins and outs with this so-called "issue".  Honestly, I'm a little shocked by the views of some, and it breaks my heart.  I don't want to stand on my soapbox here and say that what every parent is doing is wrong.  That is not my place, even though it feels that way sometimes, for the safety of my own child.  What makes me smirk/laugh/question/etc. is that most of these families who make the decision not to vaccinate their small children, have previously been vaccinated themselves, and look, nothing happened!  My husband and I wholeheartedly believe in vaccinating ourselves and our children.  No questions, no doubts.  These are not LIVE viruses we are placing in our bodies or our children's bodies.  We are placing deactivated viruses so our body shows the ability to fight them off, and therefore, make sure a deadly virus stays extinct from our culture.  

You're probably sitting there thinking, 'How does this random woman have the authority to say all of this or know every piece of research there is?'  Well, I do and I don't at the same time; just like everyone else in this insane world.  I think one of my bigger pet peeves, even before I was pregnant, was this mentality spewed everywhere that 'big pharma' is the enemy and we're just out to make money.  I work for a big pharma.  I have worked for a big pharma for over 6 years, with a couple months here and there at small pharma/devices.  You will NEVER understand the work that goes into each, and EVERY, pill/vaccine/life-saving device/etc., until you work for a big pharma company.  We are not your enemy.  Do I think that sometimes prices are outrageous?  Sure.  However, let's look at some facts right here: (1) Big pharma usually has over 10,000 employees working at once, doing various projects - AKA paychecks are needing to be paid. (2) It can take up to 15 years - yes YEARS - to get just ONE pill to market.  That is BILLIONS of dollars in work on this one pill, by those 10,000 employees. (3) Taxes.  We're in America, this is a no-brainer. (4) Back-up funds for when said pill's patent expires, and money is lost to generics.

Now, these are just 4 facts, and I guarantee you, after a little bit of looking at our friend 'Google', you'll be able to find more.  It's just becoming humorous to me.  We have so much access to good healthcare providers, tools to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, warm blankets and roofs over our heads, and we sit on soapboxes, screaming at the top of our lungs, that we're single-handedly causing our children to be sicker??  Where people on the other side of this world or even in the countries below ours, are BEGGING for these tools, yet we sit here and squash these ideals.  I don't and refuse to understand this mentality.  Every day, we worry about the dangers we are posing to our children.  I have already felt this and I haven't even given birth yet, but hello...welcome to motherhood; welcome to being a parent.  The moment that stick says 'YEP!', you worry.  You first worry if that baby will stick, then if you've eaten something/picked up something too heavy/etc. that will make them leave you, then about giving birth and making sure their safety comes first over yours, then watching them sleep, and the list just keeps going.  Why not eliminate at least ONE fear by making sure they will not contract a deadly disease because another parent decided not to vaccinate and now their your child's best friend at daycare/school/etc.?  End the Laura soapbox.  Again, none of this is to say 'GO DO IT RIGHT NOW YOU PSYCHO.'  This is simply to give some facts from someone in the industry, who is also NOT A DOCTOR like yourself, and to show that believe it or not, the industry and physician's are not out to get you and your paranoia.  Science rocks and is magical.  Vaccines save lives and have for many, many years.  Please do your research or go to medical school.

Public Breastfeeding

Oh goodness gracious.  I cannot tell you enough how TIRED I am of reading these articles or just seeing them posted everywhere I turn.  I congratulate those who can just whip their breasts out in public and feel amazing about it.  I, however, will gladly take shelter in a room/bathroom/keeping my child under a sheet/etc., to spare myself and the rest of the world around me.  

I, am the one who decided to have a child and breastfeed, not the people walking around at Target or enjoying their afternoon lunch breaks.  I, am the one who decides what is appropriate for me and the general public around me, because, shocker, they're my breasts!  I don't feel the need to take a stand of this 'I AM WOMAN - WATCH ME BREASTFEED' just because that's become the status quo.  Believe it or not, I have already received criticism for this.  First of all, since when is it okay to ask a pregnant woman you BARELY know on a personal level, what she is going to do when her baby gets here?  And since when is it okay, that once I answer and say, "No, I will most likely feed in private or go somewhere else not in the general public area and cover myself," an invitation to say, "Why censor yourself?  It's just like having a regular meal; you're feeding your child!"  Newsflash - it's not an invitation.  It's an opportunity for you to say, "Oh that's a great choice for you!" and leave it there.  In no way did I invite your opinion into the conversation, nor do I need it.  I wish it was generally understood that parents will decide what's best for their child as the child is theirs.  But, I am not naive to the fact that this will never be true.  In conclusion, if you feel comfortable whipping your breasts out to breastfeed, please feel free.  Just, please don't push that on others if they don't feel as free as you.  There's nothing wrong with that.

It's Okay to Seek Help

I am still grappling with this one.  This whole giving birth, then taking care of a child, thing is completely overwhelming me.  This does not mean that I didn't want it.  It's all I've ever wanted since I married my husband, and we are fortunate enough that it came easy for us, as not as many people are as lucky.  I'm just scared of the unknown.  I have always been like this.  I most likely will always be like this.  I really do believe most of us are scared of the unknown, but we all just embrace it in different ways.  I, myself, become overwhelmed, anxious, and frightened, all at the same time.  This is where people who know me, tend to rush and shove opinions/themselves/help/whatever you want to call it in my face.  I am thoroughly appreciative of anything anyone can give me.  Trust me.  That's not it.  It's that I feel overwhelmed.  I feel like I am not capable of doing things myself, others think this about me, and feel the need to do it all for me.

I am learning that it will be okay, and is okay, to ask for help over the next couple of months, especially when he gets here.  I don't think I fully understand how tired/drained/etc. I will be and my husband will be.  So I'm definitely doing my best to not be Superwoman quite yet.  I think, as a society, we always look to the mothers to be the end all be all for when the baby first arrives, and that asking for help shows weakness or an inability or the view that we are unprepared.  I'm learning that this is not the case at all.  People just want to help you, and not for wanting anything in return.  A first baby is not easy.  It's beautiful and scary and wondrous and unknown and so many other things.  But if that help is there and that help wants to help you, just TAKE IT, without any questions.

   Maternity Leave

Now, THIS is a hot topic.  Always has been, always will be (until something changes, that is).  I am currently experiencing a little bit of pain with this, but I also have come to realize my stress is only semi-warranted.  Mostly because, I am fairly lucky, regardless of my outcome when it comes to my maternity leave.  My company could choose not to pay me at all, but that isn't the case for me right now, and I have been trying my hardest to remember that while I deal with the paperwork headache.

This has been a hot topic in the US in general because people are comparing to other countries around us.  I found an interesting graphic that shows this and why women/families are so horrified by the 'law' our country follows.  There are two sides to this, and don't get me wrong, I completely see both, being pregnant myself.  

Let's touch on these:

(1) It is a family's choice to conceive.  Yes.  This is 100% true.  It is not a company's decision, it is not your bosses decision, etc.  They should not be obligated to continue paying you because you decide to start a family.  I believe this is the mentality that the government has when FMLA was instated.  Right now, we're considered to have our jobs protected for 12 weeks while in recovery/bonding with our new child.  I understand this mentality completely, because it does make quite a bit of sense.

(2) It is wrong to consider pregnancy as a 'disability' and we should not be punished for wanting to start a family.  This is also very true.  We should not be punished for: (a) having jobs while starting a family and (b) taking the time to bond with our child and recover from major surgery/physical changes from giving birth.  I also understand this mentality and don't believe pregnancy should be in the 'disability' bucket of descriptions.

All in all, it really depends on who you work for, and I think you luck out with policies or you don't.  That was always one of my questions to any job interview after I was married over a year ago.  With my current company, I did ask for this policy before accepting the position, and there is nothing wrong with that!  Be sure to ask questions, especially if it's your first.  That's what your HR department is therefore and someone is always willing to help answer any questions or concerns.  You should not put added stress on yourself during this important time, especially as you get closer to your due date.

Well, that's it for week 30!  Next week, I'm going to tackle some fears I think almost all of us first time moms have, just don't want to talk about (or talk about way too much)!

Welcome! To You and to Third Trimester

We're Almost in the Home Stretch! 

I don't know who is going to read this silly thing, but I thought it would be fun for myself, future Baby Boy Hatcher, and any other new moms who are freaking out about the fact that there is a HUMAN growing inside of them and are about to push them out!  Take a chance and read my profile to gain some more insight.

I'm starting this now because I have kept a pregnancy book throughout my pregnancy for myself, my husband Clifton, and our baby boy.  I feel like this blog could be a good record of the days leading up to our first child's birth, as well as navigating through the first year as a new mom.  I'm going to try to fill in each week with special posts from the pregnancy itself, and not just the end, but this will mostly focus on the end result and being brutally honest!  I'm terrified, but I want to show that, because I don't think it's talked about enough.  So, enjoy!

I'll first give a little backstory into the pregnancy:

Clifton and I were very lucky with this pregnancy.  A lot of women on my side had issues getting pregnant.  This took us 2 months.  Based on symptoms, we're pretty sure I miscarried during the 3rd week in our 1st month, but I just thought it was my normal cycle and didn't think anything of it.  Which that means, is a pretty good sign for this pregnancy staying normal.  If you're not getting any positive tests yet and you're not late, YOU ARE NOT OUT OF THE GAME YET.  It took until I was 5 days late to get a faint line on a pregnancy test.  I just didn't have a high enough concentration of hormones for it to be detected.  Now, pregnancy tests are as bright as can be!  Keep your head up.  You're never out until Aunt Flo shows her face.  We're so excited about our child to be.  This is something we wanted together and to grow our family together.  There's nothing more magical, I swear.  It's amazing knowing what's going on inside my body each day and all of the changes I'll be going through.  I'll admit, everything is very scary sometimes.  I've always been on a thinner side, and now I know I may struggle with staying that way after baby for the rest of my life.  It definitely sounds selfish, but you can't help those feelings from creeping in sometimes.  I can't know though.  I could be lucky and bounce back, but I know I need to consciously realize it's okay if I don't right away.  Baby Boy comes first and foremost.

That baby speaks the truth!

Now, to the fun stuff!  Tomorrow, we are 29 weeks pregnant and really getting into the third trimester (which starts week 28, or 27 depending on your doctor)!  I hear this is not the most fun trimester, but I'm ready, because I want him here!  Now, we're having doctor appointments every 3 weeks, then 2 weeks, then every week until he's here.  So, let the countdown begin!  We're at 78 days until our due date.  I keep having this gut feeling he's going to come a few days early (at least, this is my hope for family reasons).  We're officially due on December 13th and baby boy is right on schedule.  He's CONSTANTLY moving.  There's some days where he finally sleeps, but as soon as mom sits down, he's having a party in there.  We've caught a few on video already!  I think that's been the coolest feeling this whole pregnancy.  I always wondered why women 'miss' being pregnant because my first and second trimesters were painful in many ways.  But, I know I will miss this feeling of my son and myself being as 'one' each day.  I was never very good at sharing!

The Dreaded Symptoms List

I'm sure you're thinking, why would you say this isn't fun?!  Let me explain: third trimester brings a lot of aches and pains.  Most women are correct in saying that second trimester is your blissful trimester.  I'll agree with this about 80%.  Every woman is different.  One thing I've learned is that I had to stop comparing myself to every other mother-to-be.  No one body is alike.  I'll agree that in the second trimester, I was able to get some energy back, but it wasn't a lot.  I was able to eat normally again (with pregnancy modifications of course) and smells weren't as intense.  I'm now one week into the third trimester and the list is becoming endless:

• migraines - STILL; I've been getting at least 3 a week since I became pregnant
• hip pain - oye, this is the WORST one next to migraines; this happens from walking to much, sitting too much, sleeping, laying on one side too long, etc.
• sleepiness - this comes roaring back in the third trimester; this is when your baby is growing the fastest; growing a human is tiring!
• appetite - oh man. I have never been more hungry in my whole life and NOTHING satisfies it!  I'm trying to be as careful as possible, but I'll be honest, it's hard!
• cravings - this goes hand in hand with the appetite. cravings don't disappear after first trimester; at least they didn't for me! They're really weird cravings sometimes, too.  I wanted a burger for breakfast the other day!
• heartburn - I'm listening to the old wive's tale on this one; this kid is going to have a HEAD full of hair!  I can't get rid of this heartburn so they finally placed me on Zantac.  It's incredibly painful and I hate when it strikes.  If you experience this and it gets worse, don't shy away from asking for something that's safe for you and baby; there's nothing wrong with it!

That's just the beginning I'm sure; plus the diagram explains a lot, too!  I'm taking it as best I can, but I know I'm bugging my husband a lot with all of my symptoms.  I think part of me just wants him to feel what I'm feeling, too.  I keep hearing from the doctors, nurses, and previously pregnant friends that all of the symptoms I feel just completely disappear the moment he comes out.  YAY!  What I ALWAYS tell myself, and you should tell yourself too, not all women are as lucky to experience pregnancy.  And I am eternally grateful that I have the ability to connect with my little man.

Third Trimester Tests

So far, I've only had one test!  I made it through the Glucose Challenge Test.  This is a 1-hour glucose test to see if you may have gestational diabetes.  If you fail the 1-hour test, (a number >140) you have to do a Glucose Tolerance Test, which is 3. Hours. Long.  I was SO incredibly nervous for 3 weeks over the GCT.  I didn't want to go anywhere near the 3-hour test.  We were the first appointment for the day.  After a 15 minute wait, they took me back and gave me 5oz of some really flat orange soda (not really, it's just orange soda flavored) and the first sip wasn't bad!  I love sugar so I was all for this.  As soon as I started chugging?  Different story.  It was literally drinking liquified sugar and it was AWFUL.  It coats your throat and it's just blech.  The nurse said it was 100g of sugar in 5 OUNCES.  That's a lot!  But, it's only 5oz and easy to suffer through.  After that, lemme tell you, holy SUGAR HIGH.  I was talking a mile a minute, laughing at everything, and literally couldn't sit still.  Baby boy was loving the sugar as well and wouldn't stop movin'!  After waiting for an hour and then having my blood drawn to test it, we finally went home.  And here's my warning for those who have never had this test or are coming up on their test: YOU WILL CRASH AND YOU WILL CRASH HARD.  I slept 6 hours straight in the middle of the day, developed a migraine, and just lost all energy.  Even after drinking 60oz of water and stuffing my face with protein.  Do what you can, but that crash is inevitable!  All in all, I passed with a 123.  Don't stress too much!  It'll add to a higher number.

Next, I will be getting the TDap vaccine for whooping cough and the flu shot when it comes out.  I don't normally get the flu shot after many years of failed ones, but I will do anything to pass antibodies onto our boy.

What's to Come

That's it for this week!  Tomorrow we hit 29 weeks, and I'm so excited to be almost out of the 20s!  Onto the last 10 weeks of being pregnant and almost meeting our boy!  Posts to come:

• Virtual Baby Shower - We can't fly home to be with the families for a baby shower, so Clifton's mom "Grammy" is throwing us a virtual shower!  Each person invited, if they can come, is sending us a gift that we can't open until October 8th while on FaceTime with everyone in the room on the other side.  Should be fun!
• Maternity Pictures - These are getting done on October 9th!  Whenever I have them back, I'll be posting some for fun.  We're very excited for our fall-themed shoot together
• Friend/Co-Worker Halloween Shower - An amazing woman at work is throwing us a shower here in Boston.  I couldn't be more grateful to her, because I was feeling very sad and lonely not being able to have a physical shower because of distance.  I can't wait to spill more on this one!  So far, everything's been a surprise and I love it.