Week 34 Day 1 Pregnancy Pictures--He's growing!

Note to Self: Avoid On-line Forums

I spent a LOT of time on forums when I was struggling with infertility and going through my IUI and IVF cycles. I *thought* I had learned my lesson...I tend to get obsessed about the horror stories I would read of women that tried 3-4-more cycles of IVF that didn't work. I didn't need to have that negative energy in my mind. So, in general, I have tried to avoid any sort of on-line forum that might expose any of the million of things that can go wrong with your pregnancy. I couldn't sleep (um, again) last night and decided to check out an on-line forum. Bad, bad, bad idea. This forum had a section for women that delivered their babies early. One woman said that she noticed her baby wasn't moving as much and found out that the baby had been strangled to death by its umbilical cord at 33 weeks. It broke my heart and I have been obsessively noticing all of the baby's movements. I woke myself up thinking about this and have had 2 glasses of OJ in attempt to get him to wriggle around. Ug. I should NEVER go to those sites!!

Week 34 Running Stats

So, I did pretty well this week considering I was gone all week for work in San Francisco, which involves REALLY long work days and two days of traveling 10+ hours.

Week 34 Running Stats
Monday, September 22, 2008: Elliptical 60 minutes
Tuesday, September 23, 2008: Run 7 miles
Wednesday, September 24, 2008: Run 7 miles
Thursday, September 25, 2008: Run 6 miles, Walk 3 miles
Friday, September 26, 2008: Run 7 miles
Saturday, September 27, 2008: Run 7 miles
Sunday, September 28, 2008: Run 7 miles
Total Mileage: 41 miles

I am feeling pretty great when I run these days. Only a couple of times where I have to stop because of round ligament pain or a BH contraction is too strong to continue. Otherwise, the foot and calf pain that I felt through my 2nd trimester haven't really been bothering me. I feel a lot faster running back home than I did in SF. All those hills wore me out! I have long been wondering whether people would heckle me when I ran, as I have had several friends that have said that people said things like "that can't be good for the baby" or "shaken baby syndrome," etc. Well, running in SF, I got my first comment: "good for you for keepin' that baby healthy!" I love the West Coast:> In addition, the food there ROCKS! I think that I might finally be over some of this nausea. I have been craving fresh vegetables again (woohoo!). Hubby and I went to our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm this weekend and picked some fresh green beans and tomatoes and made an awesome dinner tonight with them.

I also went to my last hypno-birthing class this weekend. Hubby and I finally decided after a LONG LONG debate that we would get a doula. With only 6 weeks until EDD, I am not sure that we will be able to find anyone. For a long time, hubby didn't want to get a doula because he was worried that he wouldn't have a role in the birthing process, given that we would have a midwife and nurses. I have been telling him that the doula wouldn't negate his role, but would help to be a better advocate for us in getting the type of birth that we want and would teach us different techniques to ensure that we were doing all that we can to birth the baby naturally. I met some doulas while in a baby store in Berkeley and we had a long conversation about husband's reticence to work with a doula, the usefulness of a doula, and the limitations of hypnobirthing. I have been meaning to write a post about hypnobirthing, but have been pretty busy with work, non-profit stuff, and getting ready for baby. I will in the next few weeks...

Week 33 Running Stats

Swamped at work still......am actually on travel this week. We'll see if I get in many miles...

Monday, September 15, 2008 7 miles
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 7 miles
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 7 miles, Body Pump
Thursday, September 18, 2008 7 miles
Friday, September 19, 2008 7 miles
Saturday, September 20, 2008 Prenatal Yoga, 60 minutes elliptical
Sunday, September, 21, 2008 7 miles
Total Mileage: 42 miles

Week 32 Running Stats

Well...I only have time for running stats tonight...

Week 32 Running Stats
Monday, September 8, 2008: 7 miles
Tuesday, September 9, 2008: 7 miles, Body Flow class
Wednesday, September 10, 2008: 8.5 miles
Thursday, September 11, 2008: 60 minutes elliptical, Body Pump class
Friday, September 12, 2008: 8.5 miles
Saturday, September 13, 2008: 7 miles
Sunday, September 14, 2008: 8 miles
Total Mileage: 46 miles + cross training

A pretty good week running wise! I had hoped to get in more weights...but work and non-profit stuff got in the way. Maybe this week? My body has been feeling pretty good and the belly is definitely getting bigger! I have also had 2 calve cramps. My gosh. They HURT! Anyone else getting these? I've never had them before!

Hypnobirthing, Week 31, and More

So, this will be a quick post....

Swamped at work again and trying to get too much done. Who has time to get ready for baby?

Week 31 Running Stats
Monday, September 1, 2008: 8.5 miles and 10 mile bike ride
Tuesday, September 2, 2008: 7 miles
Wednesday, September 3, 2008: 8.5 miles
Thursday, September 4, 2008: 10 hours flying to and from a conference to make one hour presentation...probably a good rest because I woke up with a HORRIBLE knot in my back that kept me from standing up straight
Friday, September 5, 2008: 8.5 miles
Saturday, September 6, 2008: 60 minutes elliptical
Sunday, September 7, 2008: ~2 mile run before my back went out, 2 mile hobble home
Total Mileage: 34 miles + cross training

I don't know what was going on with my back this week. I had horrible back pains....got hubby to give me a massage on Sunday and I think that got rid of it. I also started wearing the Gabriella support brace that I bought a while back and it seems to help. I went to my mid-wife yesterday...asked her about my size since people keep telling me that I look small. She says I'm measuring 30 cm, which is right on target. She also said I gained a good amount of weight in the past month (I didn't ask how much) and that the baby was in the head down position.

I also started my hypno-birthing class (again) this past week. Hubby and I actually took a class back in May, but dropped out because the teacher was AWFUL! We (I) love the new teacher. She's also a doula and yoga instructor with a lot of birth experience. I need to start doing kegels and my relaxation CD each night...but never seem to find the time. Guess I should be doing that rather than posting on here!

To all the 3rd trimester ladies...hope the aches and pains stay at bay!

Pregnancy Photos

I wasn't going to post any of these because I want the blog to be anonymous, but I don't think anyone has found me, so....the above two pictures are of me bright and early this AM at 30 weeks and 1 day. I think (in my head) that I look huge and then see these pictures and think I don't look very big at all! My boobs look bigger though! Yeah!