STATS:
Her size: BIG GIRL READY TO COME OUT
How far along: 38 WEEKS!!!! Wow 38 weeks just seems so much more substantial than 37 weeks for some reason!
Total weight gain: I’m at 174 lb. (+3 lbs this week, total at 38 lbs). Seriously? I mean what the hell! I don’t understand my weight gain whatsoever. The only thing that saves me from being pissed at it is that I don’t look like I’m gaining that much weight..and the fact that I am almost done…and the fact that weight loss has always been easy for me, since I know exactly what my body needs. But still seeing these numbers on the scale and not having a clue where it’s coming from, considering I eat really really healthy (+ a few small treats a day) is a little confusing.
Sleep: My sides really hurt, but otherwise it’s pretty solid sleep even with bathroom break interruptions.
Maternity Clothes: Dresses, yoga pants and fitted tshirts is what I’m most comfy in.
Food cravings: None really at this point.
Food aversions: cooked tomatoes- they give me wicked heartburn
Symptoms I HAVE: This morning I woke up and for the first time during pregnancy looked down to see somewhat swollen feet. Whoa! They weren’t majorly swollen (when you press on them there’s no indentation), but it sort of concerned me. I measured my BP and it was fine, called the nurse to just run it past her since it’s a pretty sudden symptom and she said that as long as my BP is good, it’s nothing to worry about, most women get swelling early in their third trimester.
Heartburn- YUCK! This sucker picked up this week! A few times, I even had to take half a Tums and drink by-carb ( I only take it when it’s really really bad).
Otherwise, I feel great! No back pain, no pains in general- really expected to be more miserable towards the end.
Doctor’s Appointment: Everything was fine as usual. I brought my birth plan (which I will post soon) and had my OB look it over and sign it. He said that the only two things that he foresees us having a problem withwhen it comes to the L&D nurses was the “no IV” and “no continuous monitoring”. Again, he reiterated calling his cell if there’s a problem and also telling the nurses to call him in when I’m dilated to 10 cm rather than wait till she’s crowned, which is when they usually call him in (because of my family history of fast labors and pushing and because of my body build).
Also I could see a marked changed in his attitude towards me going for un-medicated birth and using hypnosis for relaxation. He started our relationship with the “why take the pain if you can have an epidural” attitude, which is where I was at that point as well. When I first told him about my plan for hypnobabies, he smiled and I felt like he was letting me do what I wanted but was pretty skeptical of whether it would work or if I’d pull through. This appointment, hubby and I both got an impression that he was actually routing for me to go without an epidural. A few times he said: “You can definitely do it!” and “You won’t need an epidural” and seemed genuinely excited! I’m really glad for his support!
Movement: This girl loves to move! It’s especially fun when her head presses on my nerve in my crotch! lol
Belly Button: Outie
Gender: GIRL! Though…… we never got it confirmed. We had our 20 week anatomy scan when we were told a girl, and the only other u/s we had, she kept her legs tightly closed. So we hope we’re not going to be “surprised” in the delivery room!
Best moment of the week: I have two this week! My mom has finally arrived and it’s so awesome! I feel all is now well in the world and Alexis can come whenever she’d like. My mom is amazing help, but also a huge distraction because all I want to do now and hang out with her 🙂 She’s so funny with Alexis and my stomach, so gentle and curious and cute! I guess they never thought of the baby as a real baby back then, they didn’t know anything about what’s going on inside. So this whole “it’s a real baby inside you” thing is new to her. She sees her a her granddaughter even though she’s not here yet.
Another awesome moment this week was a surprise mini-shower from my friends, Michelle and Christine. I totally didn’t expect it, and was completely oblivious to the clues (read my attitude towards traditional baby showers post)! They did such a good job, though- I had no suspicions and was completely caught of guard and we had such a nice time ( and no cheesy shower games haha). I was coming over Michelle’s to hang out with her while my hubby was flying to NYC, in case I’d get in labor and I literally almost put sweats and a tee on to go over there and at the last second she insisted we take “last bump” photos together, so I was forced to at least put on a dress. hahaha I still laugh at how oblivious I was of all the clues that were out there.
I love you, girls! I’m so lucky I have you here close by!
That really makes me want to do a baby party when Alexis comes! Hope I can pull it off!
What I’m looking forward to:
I am really excited about experiencing childbirth and seeing Alexis for the first time and just understanding what this whole “being a parent” thing is all about.
What I miss:
Not being helpless. My husband is even more protective of me and Alexis now that she’s almost here, so he won’t let me do anything. He wants her to cook till 39 weeks, because the doc said that’s where most of the time they’re truly done developing, so I am not even “allowed” to go for a walk or clean or move around much in case it’ll kick start labor. I’m personally fine with her coming this week, but I do understand what he’s saying so I just smile and do what he says, realizing that in 1 week things will change and it’ll be mostly me having sleepless nights and breastfeeding on cue with as much help from him as possible.
So I almost feel like it’s possible this is my last update! 🙂
In case I go into labor, I will try to have Andrew do a quick post to tell you all that it’s show time. I will most definitely post something on my Facebook page and that’s also probably how I am going to be updating you all in the first day or so. So if I disappear with no posts, it’s most likely NOT due to labor.
Ahhh!!! I’m so excited to see Alexis!! So, do you have any feelings that labor is near? Any signs? So glad your mom is there with you, and how sweet of your friends for surprising you with a shower! It’s almost go time, woohoo!! 🙂
Oh my gosh how exciting Elena! Lillian came at almost 39 weeks 🙂
Yep, my ob said the same thing…she said I wouldn’t get my way on the not continous monitoring or I.V. She vetoed that. 🙁 I was bummed. But I was so relaxed the whole time during labor I didn’t really notice that I had the iv or monitor. They always let me take it off whenever I asked to get up to use the bathroom. (The iv i had to take along on a pole, lol)
YAY! Excited!
Luckily my OB said that “we’ll have trouble with those two”, but if they don’t give in to call him. So We’re probably going to stand tall. I definitely don’t see the need to be tied up to an IV especially if my labor goes fast.
You will be fine without an epidural…..it’s only in the US that they are the first resort for pain relief, usually they are the last. You are prepared, informed and under no illusion of what labour will be like, so the pain won’t come as a surprise. I’m sure your hubby will be a fantastic birthing partner as well.
Why would they want you to have an iv and continuous monitoring? I’m interested to know why this is standard practice?
x
Supposedly, an IV is needed for many reasons: to keep a laboring woman hydrated since dehydration can cause a baby to go into distress, it’s also for their convenience so that in case of an emergency they can just give you drugs without having to put an IV in first. Most things in hospitals are really done for convenience of the personnel.
Continuous monitoring is again for their “peace of mind”. The nurses have stations with big screens where they can see how every laboring woman and her baby is doing (contracts and heart beat of the baby shows there through the fetal monitors). So in case they see some irregularities in the heartbeat they can respond quickly.
There are truly cases that need that and where these things save lives, but it’s definitely not necessary for every labor and shouldn’t be done as a routine.
Plus think about it, most women go in for an epidural, so they’re not really hassled by being tied up to an IV and monitor- they’re comfortable and nurses can keep an eye on them. Hospitals are just not used to unmedicated labors
Also, there is probably some lawsuit lurking somewhere in the background that drives these hospital procedures..like many things here in the U.S. Lawyers are ruining this country just as much as the politicians.
That’s quite sad actually, that things are done just to be convenient for them, not what’s actually best for mum or baby. Well done for saying no to unneccessary intervention and monitoring x
I had Brixton at 38 weeks, I can’t believe you are already there! Have you noticed your hair getting any thicker? And the weight..you have been so careful, but I promise you that’s it’s probably like 10 lbs. of water..it will disappear so quickly. You still look gorgeous mama! Have fun with your mom! It’s really special she can be here for you all the way from Russia.
All the good luck in the world!! I am so waiting for your post on the labor experience, you have inspired me so much.
Are you gonna take “this is it” video? I’m thinking of doing it (a short one), before we leave to hospital.
Take care.
I thought about it, but somehow labor isn’t something I want to videotape- even the beginning of it. Plus I’ll be working hard on relaxing so the last thing I want is to be distracted :)))
I’m so excited for you! It’s great that your mom is with you. Our baby is due in August and my mom has already made plans to be here after the birth. I told her last night I’d like her to be here FOR the birth. She’s excited!
Best wishes to you & the family!
~Bee
Oh hon. I bet you go another 3 weeks. It’s your first baby! Also, I feel like of course you don’t look like you’re gaining a ton of weight…everyone can see how you’re photoshopping your body. Which is just super weird to do at 38 weeks pregnant. Good luck, though! I hope everything goes well for you.
WOW! I really appreciate you thinking I photoshopped my body! lol 🙂 Not the case here, though: no make up, day old hair, no photoshop, and just a simple Lightroom exposure adjustment in the photo. I didn’t even get rid the bags under my eyes, because I was feeling too lazy (which the number 1 thing any photographer would do in a photo)
If I felt so bad about my body that I’d need to make myself skinnier, I would simply NOT post the bump photos or wear more clothes in them. The whole purpose of the bump shots is to show and record the changes my body goes through- photo shopping the changes would just defeat the whole reasoning behind the bump update photos.
But it does make me feel good to know that you think I look too good for 38 weeks to NOT be photoshopped. Thank you! 🙂
I’m really curious Kay, what you think looks photoshopped on her body?! There isn’t anything TO photoshop. She looks like a perfectly normal pregnant woman (notice I don’t say average, because obviously she’s not!). As someone who was just recently pregnant myself, all of her weekly updates strike me as very genuine. I’m guessing she’s 6′ tall or thereabouts, so obviously she can carry pregnancy weight well. I’m taller than average for a woman as well, though not as tall as Elena, (and gained a whopping 60 lbs in my pregnancy!) but my build is similar to Elena’s. Believe me, it IS realistic for women to look like this! You must not have seen too many slender women become pregnant!
And not to sound totally argumentative, but Lillian is my first baby and she was born just before 39 weeks. Not all first time mothers go to 40 weeks or beyond! Anything can happen! 🙂
5″11 and yes, you can’t really see weight gain on me much unless you know me really well or compare it to my previous pictures. Now I’m curious to see how you looked pregnant. :))) lol
How long did it take you to look normal again postpartum (notice I don’t say lose all the weight)?
Exactly! 🙂 I’m 5’9″ and to myself the weight gain was grossly apparent. (60 lbs is a huge amount to gain!) But people keep telling me that they would never have guessed I gained that much! I will email you some pics 😉 I have one of me at 38 weeks where I’m holding up an ipad with an app that shows Lillian’s exact size and position in my tummy! Very cool. (sorry it’s not full-body though because we were focusing on the ipad!)
And actually, believe it or not, a couple of days ago I actually did lose the last two pounds needed to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight! Lillian just turned 7 months, so 60 lbs in 7 months 🙂
One thing I have noticed, my ab muscles were obviously stretched during pregnancy, and they’re not quite back to the shape they were in. What this means is that in the mornings I have a flat tummy and at bedtime after a couple meals eaten throughout the day, I almost look a month pregnant again, ha ha! But I know they’ll bounce back in no time. I also miss smaller breasts. 🙁 But I’m guessing when I’m done breastfeeding they’ll get smaller?
I’m not Kay, but I immediately thought the pictures were photoshopped, too. And NOT because you look too good to be real (although you’re really quite lovely). But if you look closely at the pictures of the 36-week belly, the line where the pants meet belly is mega-pixelated. To the point where it’s almost blurry. Go take a look. 😉
There’s no shame in it. I mean, I’d probably do the same if I had a public blog LOL.
Lol I did look but I don’t see what you’re talking about. When you zoom on the pic a lot, it’s all pixelated due to quality.
And I honestly don’t see what I couldn’t have photoshopped there even if I wanted to. Besides, when you photoshop a photo to make it look skinnier, it wouldn’t make it more pixelated- that’s not how the photoshop liquify tool works.
I personally think it’s silly to skinify bump photos even on a public blog. If you think you look bad/fat/whatever, don’t post it.
As a new mommy who doesn’t have a perfect body or photoshop, would you be willing to post an un-retouched picture of your belly?
Do you mean after birth? I was planning on it… I want to see and show the changes in my body (from pregnancy and beyond). Unless it just looks so horrible that I’ll feel it’s better to keep my shirt on lol and then I’ll probably pose in a tight tee. I’m sure noone will want to look at it anyways if it’s so bad that I am embarrassed to show it. (it’d be a perfect case of TMI)
If you mean my pregnant belly, you’re looking at it. I never retouch my belly- it defeats the purpose of posing with a bare stomach and showing the change week by week.
I love that now, when I think of you, I know your momma’s with you.
xoxoxoxoxo
I’m with the doctor – you can do it!
with love from your cheerleader in Nebraska
(I love you & all your pregnant-un-photoshopped-glory.) 😉
Hahahahaha! I can’t wait to see you in August! Me and my “photoshopped” postpartum body! :)))))
Congrats on 38 weeks!! You look great.
Have you considered a birthing center rather than a hospital? It seems that if you aren’t comfortable by hospital practices an alternative center may suit you better.
Hospitals have seen thousands of births a year and they have policies set forth because they have seen everything. They put forth these policies because the common goal is to have a safe and healthy delivery. Everyone, including the nurses, have the common goal. It has nothing to do with making their job more convenient. Speaking from experience, I am a nurse your defensiveness towards nurses comes off as condescending and hurtful. I’m not sure how many IVs you have placed in an emergency when seconds seem like hours but it’s very difficult. Imagine being as scared as humanly possible and amplify it by 10 then try having steady hands. Its very, very difficult. Especially on a very swollen laboring mother. It can be very difficult to find veins. In a hospital that I worked at, I had to respond to obstetric emergencies and albeit rare but the scariest moment in a nurses life can be when you see an unborn or a newborn baby in distress. Anything that can be done to prevent or save every precious second allows everyone involved breathe a little easier. I know that you are feeling that the nurses are just trying to be lazy or inconvenience you but they are really practicing from experience. They assist thousands of laboring mothers a year and this will be your first time in labor. They really aren’t the enemy. They just want to make sure your little one is as safe and healthy as possible.
Oh god no! I don’t think it has anything to do with laziness at all. I think it’s done because on average it’s easier to control things that way in an emergency. Most countries don’t have the same protocols, but…
I totally see why it’s a standard practice. In a medical environment you have to have a protocol. I just don’t think it has to be done for every woman especially if said woman doesn’t want it. Plus some of it does have to do with lawsuits against hospitals.
The only reason you see “defensiveness” towards nurses from me is because everyone I’ve talked has told me that veering off the standard procedures will really piss off the nurses, even my OB.
I am very open to playing things by ear which is what I told my doc. If I end up needing fluids (if my labor isn’t as fast as my Moms and sisters was), I’ll go for an IV. If I’m perfectly comfortable laboring with a monitor strapped to me, I’ll do that too. I just don’t think it’s necessary to do those things as a routine in a uncomplicated non high risk delivery.
My veins are really prominent and easy to find so putting an IV shouldn’t be a problem even later on. And I won’t be swollen if I’m not pumped with fluids. If I do go into labor swollen and you can’t see my veins, then I’m ok with a hep lock from the start.
I realize they don’t have Time to approach each labor individually, so it’s my job to be smart and know when to say no to smth and when to go with protocol (or my husbands job since I’ll be laboring).
So I really hope we get a friendly l&d nurse that we can talk to and explain that we are open to things in situations where they HAVE to be done but would like to avoid unnecessary hindrances when we can.
As far birth center, my OB won’t deliver at a birth center and I have a lot of respect for medicine and science in general and do want to be in a place where things like epidural and monitoring and c section are available in case smth does happen.
Melissa, I think you make a good point. So many women don’t have a choice about where they deliver their babies and it must be challenging when you have mothers coming into a medical environment who really want a home birth experience.
I gave birth in a hospital that had a midwife team and feel like we had the best of both worlds. But those nurses – AMAZING. I feel so much love and appreciation for the nurse who was with me during delivery.
Elena, I’m so excited for you!!!!!
Elena! You look great! I can’t believe your baby girl will be here any moment! I wouldn’t worry about the numbers for your weight. Our bodies do what they want to do, gain what they want to gain. But you know that :). I’m so excited for you, I know I’ll be and I’m excited to be reading the birth story soon!!
Yeah apparently our bodies will. I’m just a bit taken aback to not know where the weight is even coming from. But luckily I’m not too concerned- I’m super excited to meet Alexis. I can’t believe we are both so close!
Very excited for you! On average 1st time moms go into their birthing times at 41 weeks 1 day (8 days past their ‘due date’) so you might have a few weeks still ahead of you 🙂 I’m also doing Hypnobabies for my first birth in June! All the best!
Yup I know but I can help but hope for sooner. It’d make me nervous to go too long past due date because of looming induction!
I’m not sure I understand why your OB demands you have an IV and be continuously monitored. I had an unmedicated labor and delivery and had neither. I did have a heparin lock just in case and was not bothered by it at all. I was periodically monitored. I moved around a lot during labor and sat on a birth ball a lot. It wasn’t until I got into bed to begin pushing that they put the monitor on me. It was ok though because I was so focused on pushing I didn’t care about it and it was wonderful to hear her heartbeat as I pushed. Thankfully, her heart rate stayed steady while I pushed, but in the event that her heart rate had dropped when I pushed (which very well could happen for whatever reason) we would have known and taken precautions to keep her safe. I’m glad your doctor is more on board with med free.
No he doesn’t demand. He just warned me that I will have trouble refusing it at the hospital because the nurses won’t like it (his words). He’s ok with no IV or monitoring (not happy but ok). Even said I can call him if I have too much trouble at the hospital.
How are you confused about your weight gain? 38 pounds is totally normal, especially for someone who started out with so little body fat. between the baby, the placenta (about the same weight as the baby) and all the fluids, you already have a bunch of weight right there… then you have maternal fat stores… in all the reading you’ve done, you really haven’t found anything on how you need more fat to grow a healthy baby? Of course you don’t look like you are gaining. That 38 pounds isn’t a beer gut you are putting on.. it’s a BABY.
There is a reason moms are always more squishy… your body will not be the same post birth. Even if you lose ever pound you put on, don’t expect your body to be the same. You will be squishier, your hips will be wider. Your tiny tiny pants may never fit again.
I’m concerned that you have a very unhealthy view of weight and I sincerely hope your obsession with it, something you can’t even let go of at 38 weeks pregnant, is not something you pass on to your daughter. there is nothing to be pissed about with your weight gain and there should be no confusion about where it is coming from. You need fats to grow a baby. and for future reference, healthy fats are VITAL for your baby so their brain can develop correctly. breast milk is high in fat and toddlers have to be on whole milk. whole milk yogurt and healthy oils on vegetables. these are the things your baby will need… and needs now.
I’m not really upset at the total weight gain. I’m more surprised at week by week gain. Like 3 pounds in one week while it’s supposed to be 1 pound considering my food intake hasn’t changed and I eat healthy. I assume it not the baby who gained 3 pounds lol
I do occasionally forget that I started off at what’s considered borderline underweight BMI (though I wasn’t really underweight), when I compare my weight gain to other girls’ numbers. Plus my tall frame probably needs more “fat” weightwise lol
There are so many girls who gain 25-38 lbs- it’s hard not to compare.
But in the end, honestly, all I care about is Alexis’ health. So if I’m gaining weight for her, it’s good. If I’m just gaining weight, that’s not.
I agree with another posted about your obsession with weight and looks. I worry for your daughter.
Also, the photoshopping is really obvious in lots of posts (especially in your holiday photos – unless that dress came with the extra pixels). I’m just saying you might want to work on that. 😉 I am NOT saying that you look “too good not to be photoshopped”, but I love that you thought that’s what I meant. LOL! What a shock! For the record, I think ALL pregnant women are beautiful, regardless of their size or weight. 🙂
I think striving to look good and working towards it hardly equals an obsession. I’m sorry you’ve been so brainwashed by our society to think that we shouldn’t try and look attractive or even be concerned with being at our best weight, or maybe it’s not smth that’s a priority for you which is fine. But to tell me that I shouldn’t watch my weight and want to feel beautiful (for any woman regardless of shape or looks) is completely not your place to do.
And no, the Christmas photos weren’t photoshopped to make me look skinnier and if they were, “extra pixels” isn’t what would give it away. Lol
I give all the credit in the Christmas photos to the Isabella Oliver dress- you might want to check it out!
I’ll be the first one to help a bad body angle on a photo I am editing, whether it’s of me or my friends and I’ll also be the first one to admit it but you’re totally striking out on these. Lol
Thanks for visiting and reading though.
Elena is so honest in her posts, I am surprised (if you are a follower) you would think for a minute she would lie about photoshopping her pictures. I don’t know her personally but I can tell she’s pretty upfront about things and would fully own up to the fact that she “fixed” little things to make the pictures look better. She is a very good photographer and if you look at her other blog you can see she has long perfected certain poses to make herself (and help others) look their best in pictures.
Just because MANY other pregnant women don’t look as good as she does, doesn’t mean she’s faking her pictures.
Yes she was thin before she got pregnant but she conceived on her FIRST MONTH trying, clearly she was healthy as many studies have shown underweight unhealthy women struggle with infertility.
Also just because she says she’s surprised at her weight gain doesn’t mean she’s freaking out about it or going to starve herself to get back to her weight, it just means she was surprised!
Elena you are stunning and beautiful and I could only wish to be as tall as you, I am pretty lucky to be pretty thin naturally and I started out with a low but still healthy BMI and I eat all the time and pretty healthy along with lots of extra treats during the week. I am 37 weeks now and have “only” gained 23lbs. BUUT my dr said my son is perfectly healthy and I always measure right on track and his heart beat is good. Thankfully ALL women are different and our bodies all respond to pregnancy differently.
Just keep doing what you are doing, its obviously working for you!!
Melody
23 lbs! Wow, go Melody! 🙂
And yes, you’re right I would always say I fixed this or that, when asked. For example, I almost always smooth skin (if necessary) and brighten eyes and teeth in all good photos,whether it’s me or my friends or my family. It’s something I do as a photographer for everyone. It doesn’t alter the photo, it just gives it a more polished look. I definitely fix bad angles (hips are usually an issue for most people, if the pose is not so good) and my friends actually ask me to do it. But most of the time, there’s not much to fix, to be honest.
Now, the bump photos – I can’t justify “fixing” anything that would alter the changes my body is going through. I’ve smoothed my skin back when it was bad in the first half of pregnancy and will always take care of a blemish (because who wants to look at that), but definitely never ever made myself skinnier in bump photos- hell I am pregnant, I have no problems with being big!
Thanks for understanding all that without me having to say it! 🙂
Another 5’9″ Rachel here 🙂 I gained 50lbs and at least 20 of it was water weight. it wasn’t until my son reduced his nursing times (around 12 months) that I was able to lose the last 5lbs. Now he nurses 3 times a day andmy body doesn’t need the water and fat reserves like it did when he was EBF. I was incredibly frustrated the last few weeks when I gained 6lbs/week! I was also all belly and within 3 weeks, I had lost 40lbs. I felt a little depressed about my weight towards the end because I never imagined gaining so much. It was a shock to lose it quickly! The weight gain recommendations can be a woman’s worst enemy though 🙂 try not to get as frustrated as I did because it will come off since you eat healthy and will be nursing. And I make no predictions for what your labor will be like because mine were completely different from the other women in my family! All you can do is find happiness with each day and it seems like you do that anyhow! I don’t know why trolls love to tear bloggers down and write mean things. It’s like they are insensitive to the fact that these words are coming from a living, breathing person. Besides, these trolls would never say this crap to your face and if they did, you woulnt have them in your life.
Ok that makes me feel better. It just I keep hearing that most everyone gains nothing in the last few weeks and I’m seeing 2-3 lbs a week!
And damn, why did you have to say that you labored completely different from your family??? :)))) I was so hoping for a quick labor haha
I guess it’ll be what it’ll be- I’m very curious!
Re: trolls, no comment 🙂 you said it all!
Just curious… How does your orange fit now??
Not sure, Melissa! Since I’m mostly staying home, I haven’t had a chance to wear most of my clothes (maternity or non-maternity). I’d imagine it would have fit just fine up until the third trimester since I wasn’t really that big till then. I completely forgot about it, though-it got lost in my massive closet.