40 Weeks and no dialation, no baby!

Well, I was so sure the 17th was the day. And here we sit, October 18th with no baby and unfortunately very little movement. I am hardly dialated 1 cm, and baby's head is still far up and facing the wrong way. I would feel a little better if I was farther dialated and knew I could be induced soon, but Doctor says I would have to start with a natural inducer and wait 12 hours to see if anything might happen. Then I would be sent home if nothing happend. So now I wait with the tentative plan to go to the hospital next Sunday night (10/24) to start he process...I just want to have her come naturally! I don't think I can wait another two weeks if that becomes the case.

On the positive side, I had four hours of early labor contractions Saturday night....so hopefully I can get some of that going again! I just feel depressed, I feel trapped like she is never going to come out!!!! Mom has been here for almost a week and we have been really busy doing stuff, but how much more can I do waiting!

Blah, blah, blah....

What I have been doing to keep myself busy

So, today we are nearing the end of Monday, 10/11. Based on the online calculation on Babycenter.com, I am due Sunday, 10/17. My Doctor has been going by the due date of Wednesday, 10/20. I am not sure which one it will be but this waiting game is insane! Thankfully, I am keeping myself busy...here is what I have been doing:

1. Sleeping/resting - yesterday I laid in bed all day watching bad TV and getting bored. Seriously, I love vegging but it can be boring after a while. And why is there no real good movies on when you need them.
2. I am trying to read some baby books, but they really are slow going. I keep trying.
3. Today I met with my colleague for lunch, took Coco for a work, caught up on some work, ran to the Dry Cleaner, and rearranged the book shelf in the nursery. Now I sit on the couch watching bad TV again.

Thankfully, I am still working a bit which is keeping me somewhat busy and my mom is coming in Wednesday. I will be doing yoga this week, a mani/pedi, more walks, finish work, visit the Doctor, take the dog to the cleaner and so on! I am keeping my cool, but kind of bored to be honest! It is just too hard to start a new project when you have such a big one starting around the corner!

And I have no more clothes to wear!!! At all!!!!

I am trying to just enjoy the quiet days but it is hard!

The latest belly posts!

Here are a few more belly pix before it goes away (which I have full confidence it will very quickly=)

jeans/purple shirt = 37 weeks
beach shots = just about 39 weeks

Thank you!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this blog and everyone who has given me so much wonderful support, advice, helpful tools and so forth. I feel so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life and soon in Baby Duffy's life! We are so honored!

As big as a mini watermelon!

The picture with this post says it all. Baby Duffy is about the size of a mini watermelon as she enters her 39th week and she prepares to enter the World! The mini watermelon is making waves inside my belly - literally. Lately, she has been moving around like crazy, poking and prodding like she cannot wait to get out! And I am in and out of feeling fine and then feeling not so fine. Today, I am exhausted, sick to my stomach and achy! Oh, and oh so cranky. I will say that a chocolate shake and chopped salad from Jerry's Deli did help!

This will be my final week to say I have a week left. Although, if this baby does not come by next Sunday, I guess I could still be saying it next week! Either way, we are on our final week. We finally got a new car to fit the baby and all of her belongings. We are getting the car seats installed tomorrow. Mom is arriving Wednesday. And bags are packed! Nursery is just about done (still waiting on more custom stuff I had done, I seriously went overboard).

Now the questions start coming to the surface, when will she come? What will she be like? Will she be a good baby or colicky? What will she look like? Will she have blue eyes and dimples like Tim? Oh so many questions! I seriously cannot believe we are a week or so away from having a baby!!! Life is crazy!

What to pack for the Hospital???

This is a tough question if you have never been in the hospital for an overnight stay, especially after giving birth to a baby! Thanks to my Facebook friends, I got a lot of great advice on the topic and here is the list I have come up with:

1. Stuff for the baby: I currently have 3 outfits packed including a little hat and booties. I could not decide which outfit would work best so I brought a few. I also have a swaddler blanket, all in pretty pink colors.
2. 2 pairs of PJ's and one pair of lounge pants with a breastfeeding tank top.
3. A lightweight robe in a nice charcoal grey color.
4. My brand new Ugg moccasins.
5. Two pairs of comfy socks.
6. Undergarments.
7. A pair of yoga pants and another BF tank top along with a long sweater to go home
8. I will be wearing flip flops most likely to the hospital and another long sweater so will have those if I need them
9. A long tunic as a second option to go home (will throw in my leggings if it works out)
10. My ipod fully stocked with a playlist and an iPod speaker
11. My camera and video camera
12. My iPad
13. A few baby books
14. My baby file folder
15. A cool collection of lotions/shampoos in a travel pack made just for new moms that includes an eye pad
16. A small hair dryer, brush
17. More toiletries like toothbrush, etc.
18. A birthing ball
19. Baby seat in the car
20. Some clothes for Tim
21. A few DVD's
22. Baby book
23. Diaper bag with a few essentials
24. Cell phone and charger
25. Snacks/water

I think this is just about everything!

I will probably end up not using half of this stuff, but I prefer to be safe than sorry!

Pregnancy Massage Does a Body Good

Today, I went to get my final pre-natal massage before baby! I visit Burke Williams in Santa Monica for my massages and facials, and I wanted to make sure I got in there one more time to really give my body a break. Usually, I have trouble really enjoying the massage - my brain is usually going on and on and on about nonsense - and the ensuing milk bath they give you with the pregnancy massage since you cannot use the hot tub. But today, was different, I have never enjoyed a bath/massage more than I did today. I was half asleep for both services and the massage really hit on some sore spots around my hips and legs. I think I am just so tired lately and the cool/fall like weather in LA really allowed me to totally succumb to the relaxation part. It was wonderful and I am so glad I went! I still feel mildly cranky but in general I am as happy as a 9 month pregnant lady can be!

How much stuff does a baby really need?

Well, from what I hear, not a lot. But if you are a shopper like I am and a buyer in bulker like my husband, the baby is going to have a lot of stuff! I had received pretty much everything on my registry, but after taking a few classes and doing some more research, I had a few more things to buy, specifically around the breastfeeding space! Today, I managed to spend over $300 on more stuff - breastfeeding tank tops, lotion and wash for the baby, a new sling for the baby, a birthing ball which I hear is quite handy to have in the hospital and so on! I hope I am now officially set, but there is a little voice inside of me saying "you will buy more soon". Picture is of the loot I bought today at the Pumpstation!

How much stuff does a baby really need?

Finding the Perfect Baby Book

For some reason, I did not put finding a Baby Book at the top of my priority list for this baby! But I love journaling things, so it was something I wanted to get!

Well, my husband find one on Etsy of all places that we literally ordered and received with it personalized with her name within a 24 hour period! And I love it. The book is by Ruby Love Designs and it is modern, the baby's colors and Tim and I both love it. If you are shopping for a baby book, check out this designer at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/57595410/new-cover-girl-modern-baby-memory-book.

38 Weeks!

Well, we have hit 38 weeks now which breaks down to about 14 days left in this pregnancy! And I can honestly say I have officially hit the point where I am getting anxious and impatient. The exhaustion of being 9 months pregnant has really hit me - my feet are starting to swell, my body aches in different places and I am just tired most of the day! The funny thing is, I am sleeping as much as I can, but with frequent bathroom breaks throughout the night and the tossing and turning, I guess it is just not a good night sleep!

If the baby comes on or around my due date, the next few weeks seem to stretch on forever! I am so excited to have this baby but I feel like she is never going to come!!! From what I hear, this is pretty typical! I need to just keep myself busy whenever I can find the energy!

So at 38 weeks, the baby may be over 6 pounds now and 19.5 inches long (as long as a leak). She is considered full term which is great, but I just know she needs a little more time in there. She definitely likes to kick me a lot lately! It is crazy how much I can feel a foot here and a knee there. She likes to do the splits a lot! When I went to the Doctor last week, she said I was not dialated yet, so baby is definitely not coming for the next week or two! I have noticed an increase in my Braxton Hicks contractions which tells me the body is getting ready for baby!

Tim and I have one more class on birth to finish tomorrow night. We took a baby care class yesterday which was good but again, way too long! I am overly anxiety ridden about everything that still needs to be done....a few last minute touches to the nursery, a run to the Pump Station where I will spend lots more money on last minute items and finishing up some house improvement projects which won't be done until the end of the week! So frustrating that they are not done, but I am trying to keep my cool! Not easy!

Oh yeah, we still have to buy a new car and get the car seat put in each car! All reasons why I don't want this baby to come until her due date!

Oh boy, I need to take a happy pill today!!!

GBS Positive=(

I found out last week I am GBS Positive....for those of you not aware of what this is, it is apparently nothing horrible but just could lead to a potential issue with baby when you are in labor (I won't go into details but it is a bacteria found in many pregnant women)! So, they test you close to your due date to find out if you are so they can take precautionary measures during labor. Basically, I have to get to the hospital as soon as I start labor pains or if my water breaks so I can get a penicillin drip for 4 hours before having the baby. While I am told by my Doctor that it is not a big deal and about 25% of pregnant women have this, it still makes me a little nervous and cautious of when this baby is going to come! I was doing so well having no problems and boom here is a little issue I need to worry about. But I figure if this is the worse thing that happens and we can take care of it before giving birth, then I will try not to worry!

Very hard when labor is so unpredictable and there is now a reason that I have to get to the hospital as soon as I can!