Saturday, May 23, 2009

A week in Snippets

First, a quick overview of quite a busy week!

Monday: saw Deb and everything looks good. Poppet measuring right on target, decent weight gain, blood pressure fine, etc.

Tuesday: Doggy/kiddo class. We are doing everything wrong.. before we left I was lying on the bed and the dogs were barking to come up. I suggested to Rich that we should probably not be letting them up right now... but, as Rich suggested, they really love it on there. Needless to say, this is not how you prepare your puppies for a newborn who will likely be in the bed. Apparently you have to invite them on to the bed - thus showing them who is the leader. The next day they were barking to get on... and, well, I thought it was a good time to invite them up :) Oh deario, so much to put into practice. I asked the leader of the class what to about barking dogs who run from window to window, barking like lunatics, are every squirrel, dog, person, cyclist (and on and on) who dares to pass by on the road. When I explained that these were two Westies, she smiled at me and, without much hope in her words, suggested that we pull the blinds..

Wednesday: 32 week ultrasound. Poppet is clearly a giant baby, weighing in (according to the scan) at 4lbs 10oz, putting him in the 65th percentile, and two weeks ahead. Terrifyingly his head continues to grow at an alarming rate... measuring THREE weeks ahead. Eek. What a brainy kid we'll have.




Unfortunately, on the way back from Panera (where I go to have toast everyday - as toast that I make at home makes me very sick), I was rear ended as I waited at some traffic lights. I wasn't too worried, though I called Deb's office to see if I should look for any indicators that poppet might have been impacted (he was moving a LOT). I chatted to the lovely nurse, Pat, who suggested I monitor things for a while since I hadn't hit my tummy on the steering wheel, but 15 minutes later she called back to say that Deb suggested I go to L&D just in case the seatbelt had tightened around my belly, just to be monitored.

Everything was fine. I was hooked up to a monitor that looks at the baby's heart rate and also to see if I am having contractions. He was perfectly fine... though I apparently have an irritable uterus, which I haven't noticed in the slightest. We didn't get home until close to midnight, though.

Thursday: I can't believe that we 'enjoyed' 90+ degree weather. It wasn't, actually, in the least bit enjoyable, and by the end of the day I was feeling utterly miserable. Fortunately I haven't had too much swelling in my legs, though my feet were killing me by the end of the evening. It wasn't helped by the delivery of our new tub, which turned out to be damaged, thus putting our bathroom renovation behind by at least a week whilst we await a new tub.

Friday: I volunteered to be a practice pregnant patient for a conference being held at Maine Med. They couldn't get anyone else, so I did all three sessions. I just had to lie there whilst various residents and family doctors tried to do a brief ultrasound on the poppet. I was a bit worried about so much u/s, but he didn't seem phased by it at all. As it happens the sonographer leading the groups was someone who we've had before for our regular u/s appointment.

Today: I am procrastinating on the long list of chores I have to do by writing this :) Right now I am in the midst of trying to organize all the gifts and other things lying on the nursery floor. there is just so much stuff.. I barely know where to begin. It also occurred to me, as I sorted though the clothes, that we have virtually no newborn clothes... though, from the size of him, he'll probably fit right into the 3-6 months clothes :)

I'm also currently washing the prefold diapers and fitteds... you need to wash them 6 times, apparently, so they're ready to go.

10 comments:

  1. he's beautiful! :)
    i'm glad you and poppet are both ok after the accident. just wanted to drop by and let you know that i'm still following! even when i'm not in blog land, i am thinking of you and wishing you the best.
    love, e.

    ReplyDelete
  2. your poppet is so cute (love that 3D pic) and sounds like he is on his way to be a lovely big baby! my first was 10lb 3oz and he had a mammoth head and shoulders... still, i managed to deliver him vaginally so it can be done :)

    how hot does it get in maine in july? leila was born in december and it was so hot here she spent most of the first 2-3 months of her life in just a onesie and nappy... so she didn't need much clothing at all. she outgrew all her newborn items by 8 weeks :)

    july is getting so close - it is so exciting!

    kate

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, erica :) I miss you when you're not around...

    Ee, Kate, a 10 pounder!!!! I have a feeling that this little(?) guy will be a big bruiser when he's born! I am sure... well, telling myself.. that my body wouldn't be helping to grow a baby that I couldn't deliver. It's not as though I have gestational diabetes which might cause a baby to be unnaturally big. Right?!

    It is very warm, usually, in July, so I was thinking that I'd mostly need onesies. One of my fav things is when little babies are in their nappy and t-shirt :) I actually have some really basic questions I need to ask you seasoned parents - and one of the questions is around dressing. because I have so many sensitivities to temperature, material, etc., I worry that I'll dress him too warmly.. or he won't be warm enough, or the material will be too irritating... We have out childcare basics class this week... so hopefully we'll learn something! But, in the interim, look out for a post which poses some extremely remedial questions!

    Love, A

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ah, it seems he's inherited the Oliver (Sawyer?) big head genes... ;-) G's head was on the 91st centile and the rest of him was measuring 3 weeks ahead at 37 wks but he popped out without too much trauma so I'm sure you will be absolutely fine!

    Glad to hear you're both well after the prang

    xox

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Alex! So glad you are Poppet are well. Hope the car-based SUV is okay, too. ;-)

    I enjoyed this update, and the pix!

    So the general rule of thumb, if memory serves, is to assume newborns and babies need whatever you need plus one more layer.

    And when you feel the babe is sweaty and warm, you can adjust accordingly.

    We'll see about those onesies!

    xo
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  6. i second jen re the clothing... plus it is pretty easy to see if they are too warm (they sweat - through their head) and if they are too cold they have cold hands and feet... leila is my first summer baby so it took me a while to work out what was right for her - often times she only had a nappy when she slept because she was swaddled and that kept her warm!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ack, that's my fear, Alice! But it IS very comforting to know that you managed just fine! Can't wait to hear more about Rafe! Rich just spoke to C so I shall get the low down when we head out for a walk in a moment. xoxo

    Oh, that's a good rule of thumb! One thing that complicates this (for me) is that I am really funny when it comes to temperatures. Rich and I have radically different internal thermometers... and when I am hot/too warm I have this very funky sensitivity thing (same thing with material), and I really worry already that this little guy will inherit my weirdness but without me knowing! Oh mercy. The things I lie awake about worrying...!!

    Hope you had a lovely time in Boston!

    Thanks, Kate.. I;m sure this is incredibly obvious, but it's one of the things I worry most about!! I'm also incredibly worried about SIDS and what to dress him in at night. I have some waddles (and THANK YOU for the ones you sent as they are MUCH lighter than the ones I can find here, and thus they seem perfect for summer...,), and sleep blankets. I can see me staying up all night to make sure he's not getting too hot, too entangled, too distressed... Yikes.

    We have our baby basics class on Wednesday... Boy, do we need it :)

    Love, A

    ReplyDelete
  8. Alex--I hear you about the SIDS worry. I vividly remember that nagging anxiety.

    One important thing is to avoid pillows, blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, anything in their sleeping area. When Sage was first born (in spring), she wore those little newborn t-shirts and a dipe, that's all (and she was swaddled in a thin cotton blanket). Then a onesie. Then (in the fall, when it wasn't so hot) those cotton one-piece numbers with long sleeves, legs, and feet (Carter's makes adorable ones). Then later, in winter, the same thing in fleece. (Of course, we paid through the nose to keep the house nice and comfy all winter, because we didn't want to have to use any blankets on Sage.)

    If you dress him appropriately (and believe me, you'll figure that out after a day or two!), he won't need any sleep coverings, and thus that's one less worry. And if he's in a Moses basket next to you, or in your bed, you'll be able very easily to monitor him and respond to his cues.

    I made up the bed so that the covers only came up to our waist (so we wouldn't accidentally pull them up in the night and cover Sage); then we used her little fleece baby blankets to cover our own shoulders at first! Not their intended use, but it worked to keep her area free of anything that might obstruct air flow, and to keep us comfortable.

    Truly, Poppet will be FINE. But I do know that it helps to think through these details, so you won't worry as much.

    xoxox
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  9. yes, i like muslin wraps for that reason (don't want overheating...) if you can't find any let me know and i'll send some more (even if he doesn't like to be swaddled they are useful for other things!) when my babes are older and don't need/want to be swaddled any more i put them in baby sleeping bags (type in grobag or snugtime sleeping bag to see what i mean)... which keeps them lovely and cosy in cooler weather without the problem of having bedding that could end up over the face...

    i read an interesting article about sids over the weekend (the idea of cot death freaks me out too). it was saying that the number of cot deaths in australia has been dramatically reduced since 1991 (less than a 1/4 of what it was) - the main ways to reduce the risk were - putting baby to sleep on his/her back, making sure baby slept with his/her face uncovered, and no exposure to cigarette smoke...

    love, kate xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks so much, Jen. I was going to get a room thermometer, too... It is SO helpful to know Sage's outfits. it's actually what I had in mind for the summer months, too. And I am sure (well, you know, sort of sure!) that I'll be able to work it out. Our plan is to get a snuggle nest for the first few months to put in the bed (so I don't need to worry so much if our mattress is too soft, and I won't have to worry so much, as well, about rolling on him... and the idea about making the bed just up to your midsection is excellent!! I'd been pondering that... Rich may have to sleep in a sleeping bag as he gets VERY cold :)

    Oh, Kate, thank you for all this info, and for the offer of more swaddles. I will absolutely let you know because the muslin blanket is just beautiful. They're really popular in the UK, too. And for the info on SIDS... It is really reassuring to know how much the risk has gone down. I was reading, too, about it being linked to socio-economic status, where the baby sleeps, etc. I am sure that all new parents think about this. I thought that I'd worry less about him being okay when he was finally here, but now i'm beginning to think 'oh, he's happy and safe inside my tummy... STAY PUT!"

    Lovelove
    A

    ReplyDelete